Utah Jazz

Sizzling-hot over their last month and eager to catch a wounded Los Angeles Lakers team slumping at the wrong time, the Utah Jazz introduced the In-Season Tournament champions to a label of their own: the in-season turnaround. With terms such as “fun,” “energy,” and “chemistry” connected to their recent post-game dialogue, Utah extended its win streak to five, overwhelming Los Angeles through transition scoring (27 fastbreak points), teamwork (28 assists), and charity stripe accuracy (36-of-39). Avoiding any could-be heroics from LeBron James, Utah constructed a scheme capable of containing Anthony Davis. The victory on January 13, 2024 pushed the Jazz to 14-4 over their previous 18 games — the NBA’s No. 1 mark over that month-long span — allowing them to both hover above .500 and slide into the West’s No. 9 seed. Back healthy, Lauri Markkanen settled into the spotlight through a 29-point, two-way performance, with Collin Sexton (27), Jordan Clarkson (21), Keyonte George (19), and John Collins (19) closely tethered. Finally striking an ideal lineup balance, the Jazz took their spot as one of the NBA’s most electrifying offenses over the season’s first half, evoking intrigue surrounding their potential in 2024-25.