3. Rank in the Top Half of the NBA in Assist to Turnover Ratio
The Utah Jazz are not going to push the pace by default, as many other teams are trying to do often with the way the NBA is heading. That’s perfectly fine, though, as they are efficient in their halfcourt offense, and have an unselfish roster. Only five NBA teams played at a slower pace, per NBA.com, and that’s perfectly fine with the way they are structured.
Utah finished with a respectable offensive rating of 106.2 and a good true shooting percentage of 56.4, placing them 15th and tied for 10th in the league in those categories. Mitchell and veteran point guard Ricky Rubio are the key cogs, as they constantly put pressure on opposing defenses in halfcourt sets.
While Rubio’s assists average dropped to 5.3 per game (his career average is 7.9 per game), it was just due to Mitchell having the ball in his hands more, and the budding chemistry between the two makes Utah’s offense a well-oiled machine. With Mitchell’s all-around scoring and Rubio’s diverse passing repertoire, the Jazz’s spot-up and rolling threats are maximized.
While Rubio’s improved shooting (highlighted by a career-high 35.9 three-point field goal percentage) is a plus, he’s not going to be labeled a floor-spacer. With Joe Ingles, mid-season trade acquisition Jae Crowder, Royce O’Neale and 2018 first-round pick Grayson Allen’s three-point shooting, Utah has plenty of spot-up threats to provide floor balance with Rudy Gobert’s rolling prowess.
Ingles and Allen will provide viable secondary playmaking as well in the pick-and-roll, along with reserve guard Raulzinho Neto (who is a perimeter spot-up threat, too). Ingles, in particular, is such a crafty passer, and his unorthodox play style is difficult for opponents to account for, even when it appears he’s sometimes playing in slow motion. If there was such thing as a Role Player All-Star team, he might just be the headliner.
As a team with players such as Rubio and Ingles’ masterful passing, Utah placed in the 72nd percentile in spot-ups, the 69th percentile in off-screen scoring, the 66th percentile in roll man scoring, and the 83rd percentile in transition scoring, according to Synergy Sports. Of course, with an offense that is predicated on making unselfish plays outside of Mitchell isolation scoring, there will be turnovers. They just need to cut down on those, which can be killers in the postseason, with how little possessions Utah will have throughout a game.
Only six NBA teams had a higher turnover percentage in the regular season, per NBA.com. If Rubio and Mitchell cut down on those (as they definitely can in year two with Snyder), then the Jazz offense could hit another gear.
The second goal is about being even better defensively, which is lofty, but possible, barring significant injury.
Next Up: Goal 2
