The Utah Jazz are turning heads around in this brand new NBA season. After being pegged last offseason to commit on a full-blown rebuild, they are shocking everyone after going up 2-0 so far in the league standings.
But for head coach Will Hardy, he is delighted to see that his ball club is trying to defy the tanking expectations of people around by having that never-say-die and underdog identity.
“They understand that based on what certain people say about them that we are sort of an underdog, and I like that our team has a chip on their shoulder,” the 34-year-old rookie mentor told reporters.
The Jazz took down two Western Conference powerhouse teams expected to be postseason-bound in April, and it stands surprising considering the roster overhaul they took to gain future assets in exchange of sacrificing their foundational pieces.
Despite facing giant odds against title-contender Denver Nuggets, Utah put on a shocker and outlasted them for their season opener. Carving up a 21-point victory in face of the reigning back-to-back league MVP Nikola Jokic, the club wowed their home floor in Salt Lake City.
And recently, they pulverized the Minnesota Timberwolves in OT, winning a Friday statement game opposing their former defensive cornerstone Rudy Gobert.
Though it seems unusual, the Jazz’s way of putting things down for now gives them a much clearer vision. As they feature that talented lineup, they can only hope that things will work out at the end of the day.
