One Of The Craziest Utah Jazz Stats You Will Ever Hear…

SALT LAKE CITY – Every once in a while, you’ll hear a stat about your favorite team that makes you question how it could possibly be accurate.

If you look in the right places, these crazy stats are more common than you think.

However, this might take the cake as the most unbelievable Utah Jazz stat you’ve heard…

A Mind-Boggling Utah Jazz Stat

The 2022-23 Utah Jazz had low expectations coming into the year after trading away Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert for young players and draft capital.

Utah shocked the NBA by getting off to a hot start but ultimately cooled off and missed the playoffs with a 37-45 record.

The final Western Conference standings of the regular season ‼️#ATTPlayIn action begins Tuesday (4/11) 👀

📲 https://t.co/02ml5YIBRq pic.twitter.com/hCOyh186of

— NBA (@NBA) April 10, 2023

Outside of Lauri Markkanen who was named an All-Star starter, the Jazz couldn’t find consistency anywhere on the roster.

Now let’s rewind eight years.

In the 2015-2016 season, the Golden State Warriors took the NBA by storm and never cooled off.

They won a record 73 games, beating Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls previous mark of 72.

Most wins by any team in NBA history.

6 years ago today… the @warriors won their NBA-record 73rd game of the 2015-16 season! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/4SLxeQUSoM

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 13, 2022

Led by unanimous MVP Steph Curry, Golden State was first in points per game, second in pace, and first in offensive rating.

Despite the obvious difference in ability, the 2023 Utah Jazz actually had a higher offensive rating (115.8) than the 2016 Warriors (114.5).

Comparing teams from different eras has its downsides and inconsistencies. But, how does a team that misses the playoffs have a better offense than the best team of all time just eight years later?

What Is Offensive Rating?

Offensive rating is a statistic that measures a team’s offensive performance and ability to produce points.

Defensive rating is similar. It measures a team’s ability to prevent the opposing team from scoring.

The game of basketball is constantly evolving. Whether it be through rule changes or just more opportunities for players to improve, the NBA today sometimes feels like a different sport when compared to the NBA of the past.

.@jj_redick on the modern NBA offense and why it’s becoming harder and harder to defend 👇

Watch the full episode of Islands in the League, our monthly series with @DKSportsbook: https://t.co/hIVTmKiZtW pic.twitter.com/7GnlsjZWyP

— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) December 30, 2023

But, who could expect such a drastic change in less than a decade?

On the Old Man and the Three podcast with former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick, they talked about the evolution of offense in the NBA.

Advanced stats and analytics have allowed NBA teams to understand the game on a deeper level.

The overarching message? Defense hasn’t gotten worse or less physical. Offense has gotten much, much better.

Were the 2023 Jazz Better Than The 2016 Warriors?

Absolutely not.

The 2000-2001 Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal had an offensive rating of 108.4. That’s lower than the present-day Detroit Pistons who tied an NBA record with 28 straight losses.

With evolving playstyles and offensive schemes, teams should only be compared to others from their same era.

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Chandler Holt is a co-host for the Jazz Notes podcast and a Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.

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