“I Believe In Them” | Utah Looks To The Future And The Hope That Lies Ahead | Utah Jazz

When the struggles seem overwhelming and the adversity hits, all anyone can ask for is hope. 

The Utah Jazz is no different. 

After a brutal month of January in which the team went 4-12, a new hope arrives on Tuesday when the calendar graciously flips a page and turns to February.

Never too high, never too low
Stay the course

— Royce O’Neale (@BucketsONeale00) January 29, 2022

While the record may suggest that the Jazz have completely fallen off the wagon, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Over the past month, there isn’t a team in the league whose roster has been more decimated by a combination of injuries and health and safety protocols. 

From injuries to all-stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert and nearly two-thirds of the team — including head coach Quin Snyder — being placed in health and safety protocols during that time, the Jazz were merely a team trying to adapt to the circumstances of the month rather than focusing on wins and losses. 

“This isn’t about winning and losing,” Snyder said. “This is about committing to the things that allow you to win. … I have confidence we can do those things.”

While many would assume that the team with the best record in the league last year would be able to overcome some players being out, they wouldn’t be wrong. The Jazz have played shorthanded at multiple times throughout the season and still emerged victorious — but the way the calendar was set up in January didn’t allow room for error. 

Eleven of the 16 games came away from the comfortable confines of Vivint Arena, with 11 more coming against teams currently in the playoff picture of either conference. The Jazz also had three back-to-backs, all of which came on the road. 

Not only was the schedule challenging, by far the most brutal stretch of the season for Utah, but their big three of Mitchell, Gobert, and Mike Conley combined to play in just four games together. 

“We had COVID. We’ve had a lot of things going on. … We’re just trying to survive,” Rudy Gay said.

The hits weren’t done following Utah’s loss on Sunday night, as Monday provided arguably the worst news of the year — Joe Ingles, one of the best reserves in the league, suffered a torn ACL and is done for the season. It’s a devastating blow as Ingles was expected to be a vital part of Utah’s run towards a title. 

Joe Ingles was examined Monday by the Utah Jazz medical staff and the MRI revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee with no other structural damage. Ingles will remain out indefinitely with surgery taking place in the coming weeks.https://t.co/lwAX3J8KUw

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 31, 2022

What makes this Utah team so special and unique is that despite all of the trials and tribulation, they never lost faith in the bigger picture — a championship.

While many throughout the league may be writing them off as a legit title contender, the Jazz know that all the month of January did was make them stronger moving forward. There were no moral victories in keeping games close or “almost” winning. This team refuses to change or temper its expectations regardless of their situation.

“No moral victories, but we feel like we’re getting closer and closer to being back to who we are,” Conley said. “I think this time is going to make us tougher and stronger mentally. … Especially when we get Donovan and Rudy and everybody back.”

Consistency is #ShootaroundInterviews | @ZionsBank

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 30, 2022

But after a month of turmoil, there is finally light on the horizon.

February is shaping up to be a much better month, especially when reinforcements are on the way. 

There was an outside chance that Mitchell would return this past weekend, but all indications are pointing to him ending his seven-game absence when Utah plays Denver on Wednesday night. There’s also the possibility that Gobert returns during this month — but whether or not that’s before or after the all-star break is unknown.

Another positive is that the Jazz will be home for the majority of the month. Seven of their nine games come at Vivint Arena, not including the eight-day all-star break coming towards the end of the month.

“You get confidence from playing hard and playing together,” Snyder said. “You get confidence from having an identity, and our identity as a team has gone in and out at times this year. So that confidence will come when we continue to perform at a certain level.”

Gods Got Me

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) January 30, 2022

It’s been a rough month, but that’s entirely in the past. All Utah can do now is look towards the brightness of the future and the hope that lies ahead.

“The sky isn’t falling. … But that doesn’t mean we accept what’s going on,” Snyder said. “We’ve got a team that’s capable, and I believe in them.”