The Utah Jazz sit at 5-2, atop the division. Seven games into this season, few would have predicted that Utah would stand No. 3 in the entire Western Conference.
There are many reasons why the Jazz continue to defy expectations, but Jordan Clarkson's play has been a key component. He's been a scorer, sure, averaging 17.3 points per game.
In fact, in Utah's win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night, Clarkson leap-frogged Deron Williams to rank ninth all-time in three-pointers made in franchise history.
Clarkson has long been known as one of the NBA's best shot-creators, but this season, he's been more than that. Call it a play-creator, call it a team-player, or a facilitator — call it what you want, but he's been a massive difference-maker as a starter no longer in the shadow of Donovan Mitchell.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy has been pleased with Clarkson's evolution and made it clear on Saturday night that it's been a natural progression — not strong-armed by the team.
"That's all Jordan," Hardy said. "I have not begged him to be a playmaker. I think I've tried to explain to him where he fits in with this group and try to empower him in that way. I've told him if the game tells him to shoot 10 times in a row, then he should shoot 10 times in a row, but I just think he has more to offer us on that end, and we saw some big passes from him down the stretch tonight. But in no way have I had to beg Jordan to play this way. He's been amazing all year, throughout training camp, and then this early part of the season. So credit to him."
Currently averaging a career-high five assists per game, Clarkson is proving that he has more to offer a team than just points off the bench. He's been a big reason why Utah has come out on top at the end of some hotly-contested games, which is a new role for the former Sixth Man of the Year. The previous regime didn't utilize Clarkson in end-of-game sequences.
"Every year, every roster is different," Hardy said of Clarkson. "When I look at our team, I think he's one of our best players, and I think, again, he can do a variety of things for us. So I think he makes sense for us to close. What happened in the past, I don't really know what the reasons were—I wasn't here. But with our roster, he's someone that I trust, and that our whole team trusts, to be in at the end of the game."
Clarkson's career-high in scoring came in 2020-21, when he averaged 18.6 points per game. As this Jazz roster continues to feel itself out and build chemistry together, don't be surprised to see Clarkson's average climb, along with his assists.
The Jazz will have to hope the team brass can convince Clarkson not to opt out of his contract after this season, because he's playing at a borderline All-Star level. Clarkson, in tandem with Lauri Markkanen, gives the Jazz two bonafide playmakers surrounded by an astonishingly versatile supporting cast.
More must-reads: