NBA Power Rankings: The Grizzlies are in trouble

21. Utah Jazz

The Jazz have already been through a lot this season. They came into the season having to figure out how to move on from Gordon Hayward, and proceeded to lose Rudy Gobert to injury after losing Dante Exum before the season even started. Joe Johnson hasn’t been healthy either. In the middle of all of that, they’ve gotten unexpected strong play from Ekpe Udoh (who wasn’t even in the NBA this year), Ricky Rubio’s taken on a completely different role than he’s ever had to date and they are, as of Monday, the No. 8 seed in the West.

“It’s very early, but yeah. I think we can be happy with that,” said Thabo Sefolosha when asked about the Jazz’s record, per The Salt Lake City Tribune. “Definitely not satisfied, we want to keep moving up in that ranking. For now, we’ll take that and keep working.”

For the Jazz to continue to stay in the playoff hunt, and to continue staying alive and in the playoff hunt, they’ll need to get luckier with injuries. Gobert is still a little bit away from his return, but they’ll need need back ASAP even if Derrick Favors is filling in admirably. Jonas Jerebko, who is now going to start after racking up DNPs earlier in the season, will have to continue to provide some spacing and chippy defense. Udoh has to prove he’s for real, too. And when it all comes together, and this team gets healthy, they are going to have to hold off at least one presumed playoff team in the Thunder to make the playoffs again.