About Utah Jazz
The franchise was founded in 1974 in New Orleans where it was based for five years before moving to Utah and becoming of what we know now as Utah Jazz. Initially very unsuccessful team slowly turned into a contender through the eighties and nineties playing in NBA finals twice in 1997 and 1998, losing twice to the Bulls in one the most energising series of the championship games played in the nineties. The team was powered by a combination of John Stockton playing a point guard and Karl Malone as a power forward making the two of them one of the most famous NBA pairings. Once they both left the Jazz the franchise started to struggle, getting into playoffs only once.
The Jazz are members of Northwest Division which they have won twice in its short existence. The team’s colours are navy, dark yellow, dark green and grey and their mascot is Jazz Bear who has suffered his fair share of injuries while performing on the floor.
Quin Snyder is the Jazz’s head coach. He has a vast experience of coaching in the States as well as outside of the USA, mainly in Europe. He was also named NBA D-League Coach of the Year in 2009.
The main strength of the team it’s its youth as there’s plenty of young talent that yet to established their names in the NBA but the franchise gets plenty of production out of players like Gordon Hayward, Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors.
Hayward, one of the older players on the team’s roster was drafted by the Jazz in 2010 in first round. This small forward was named Horizon League Player of the Year in 2010 he also was a gold medallist playing for the under 19 team USA in World Championship in 2009. The team can expect from Hayward to deliver a steady amount of points each night as well as contributing in assisting his teammates in scoring and also presenting a threat from beyond the three point line.
Gobert who plays center, comes from France and he started playing in the NBA in 2013 initially drafted by the Nuggets but traded to the Jazz. At 2.16m height he has an impressive wingspan and standing reach which earned him a nickname “The Stifle Tower” and the Jazz can count on him for rebounds and blocks.
Favors, picked with no 3 in 2010 draft by the Nets was later traded to the Jazz the same season and his rookie year production earned him NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection. He’s quite versatile being able to play a good offense and defence.
