Oct 25, 2023 - Sports

Jazz look for a return to the playoffs in second year under coach Will Hardy

Ross Terrell

Two basketball players high five each other — Lauri Markkanen high fives John Collins. Photo: Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images

The Utah Jazz are back in action Wednesday at 7pm against the Sacramento Kings. They'll take the court at the Delta Center and much like the late 1990s when the arena donned the same name, they'll be looking for an eventual return to glory.

Catch up quick: Not many knew what to expect of the Utah Jazz entering last year. Most fans and pundits thought it would be a season to tank after trading their two star players and landing a new coach.

They surprised a lot of people with a hot start, winning 10 of their first 13 games.
Yes, but: Utah came back down to Earth and missed the playoffs finishing 37-45 in a stacked Western Conference.

Roster moves: The Jazz's biggest offseason addition came in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks to acquire forward John Collins. It will be interesting to see how Collins slots in next to All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen and young center Walker Kessler.

What we're watching: Probably more of the same. Going .500 and sniffing the play-in tournament would be a success for this team. Head coach Will Hardy enters year two with some serious young talent to build around.

The bottom line: The Western Conference looks like a juggernaut once again and the Jazz are still in rebuild mode. Short of landing a superstar, the team will continue to emphasize growth and learning for its young roster.

ESPN predicts Utah will go 37-45 while Caesars sets their win total a bit lower at 35.5 games. Their odds of winning a title are +30,000.

Add Axios on Google

Jazz look for a return to the playoffs in second year under coach Will Hardy

More Salt Lake City stories