5 reasons Utah Jazz can win 2021 NBA championship

1. Defense, defense, defense

Defense is the calling card for Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, and it is the main reason why the team has dominated throughout the 2020-21 season. It certainly helps when they have Rudy Gobert, the runaway favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, starting at center.

This season, Gobert is leading the league in blocks (2.7 per game), with New York Knicks big man Nerlens Noel sitting in second with 2.2. Additionally, Gobert is averaging the second-most rebounds this season with 13.3 per game, with only Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks having a higher tally (14.4).

Besides Gobert, the team as a whole is dominant when on the defensive side of the ball. The Jazz rank as the third-best defensive team in the league, only allowing 107.7 points per 100 possessions. Only the Los Angeles Lakers (106.8) and Philadelphia 76ers (106.8) have posted better defensive ratings.

So, the Jazz can score in the paint, shoot successfully from the 3-point line and play stifling defense that limits opponents’ 3s. Add all of that up, and you have an NBA title favorite heading into the start of the playoffs.