The Utah Jazz is well on their way to becoming one of the more dominant teams in the NBA regular season once again. After finishing with the best record in the league last season, they are off to another strong start in the 2021-22 campaign with a 6-1 record.
They are receiving excellent contributions across the board with five different players averaging at least 14.4 points per game Rudy Gobert leads the team with 17.6 rebounds per game, but it is a team effort as five different players are averaging more than four rebounds.
One of the reasons for the Jazz finding so much success early on has been the play of their backcourt. Donovan Mitchell is leading the team in points and assists, scoring 24.9 per game with 4.9 dimes. Mike Conley is third on the team with 16.3 points per game and second in assists with 3.3.
After struggling in his first season in Utah, Conley turned things around last season and it has carried over into this one. The chemistry and cohesion they have built help make the Jazz as good of a team as they are.
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“Don and I kind of have a nonverbal communication. He looks up at me with his hands on his knees and I’m like, ‘I’ll take the ball for a few possessions,‘” Conley said.
Mitchell appreciates everything that Conley brings to the table. Having a veteran of the caliber of Conley alongside him in the backcourt helps put him at ease during the game.
“To be able to play off each other and be in close games like this one where shots may stop falling but fortunately I’ve got a 15-year veteran there and can say, “You got it and I’ll stay out of the way,” Mitchell said of his backcourt mate.
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The two were definitely needed in the Jazz’s most recent game against the Sacramento Kings. The Kings battled right to the final whistle, but Utah was able to pull out a 119-113 victory. Conley was a big part of staving off Sacramento, as he scored 13 points in the fourth quarter.
“It was one of those games where me and Don had it going and the rest of the team was missing shots they usually make, so in those moments you go with what’s working,” Conley said.
It must be a relief for the Utah Jazz knowing they have two players as talented as Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley to do some of the heavy lifting. They will certainly need performances like that again later this week when Utah travels to take on the just as impressive starting Miami Heat.
