5 reasons Utah Jazz can win 2021 NBA championship

Jan 26, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) slaps the hand of center Rudy Gobert (27) during the third quarter against the New York Knicks at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah Jazz wins 108-94. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. (Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports) /

3. Bench play

Some teams have a lone player who can contribute meaningfully off the bench and be in the running for the Sixth Man of the Year award. For the Jazz, they have two candidates for that prestigious honor!

Jordan Clarkson’s name has been in the running for the Sixth Man of the Year award since the first half of the regular season, and for good reason. He is a threat once he is called off the bench and onto the court. Through 65 games (with only one start), Clarkson is averaging career-highs in points (18.0 per game) and rebounds (4.1 per game), even if he’s only shooting 42 percent from the field.

Then, there is veteran Joe Ingles, who is also thriving off the bench. In 64 games (27 starts), Ingles is putting up a career-high 12.2 points, 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game while posting career highs in field-goal percentage (49.8 percent) and 3-point percentage (45.9 percent).

The Jazz are an extremely deep team. Even once the starters come off the court, the opposition will still have to deal with Clarkson and Ingles, who have shown they can do some damage.

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