1. Donovan Mitchell
There may not be a team in the NBA under more pressure to succeed in the postseason this year than the Utah Jazz. When healthy, Utah has one of the best offenses in the NBA spearheaded by Donovan Mitchell.
They have Rudy Gobert to anchor their defense, as they have found plenty of success in the regular season. However, the same cannot be said about their defense.
Utah leaves something to be desired on that end of the court. While they can score with anyone, they cannot get stops consistently on defense when they need them most. It has led to some disappointing finishes, especially against the better teams in the league.
If the Jazz flame out early in the postseason again, they could be forced to make some major moves this offseason. The relationship between their two All-Stars has been rocky in the past, and if they do not win this year, it could be time to part ways for Donovan Mitchell.
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There have been some rumors about where Donovan Mitchell would want to play, as the Miami Heat and New York Knicks have been mentioned as possibilities. Anything short of a trip to the Western Conference Finals could prompt Mitchell to request a trade.
Utah has made the postseason five consecutive seasons, winning at least 44 games every campaign. They had the best record in the NBA last season, yet they haven’t advanced beyond the second round once in those five seasons.
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They are trending toward another early exit in this year’s postseason, as they failed to upgrade their defense on the wing before the trade deadline. It could ultimately cost them as Donovan Mitchell is someone that could be on the move if the team continues coming up short when it matters most.
