The Utah Jazz has observed the emergence of Jordan Clarkson's commendable performance in the past three games. However, one wonders if this performance is genuinely indicative of his abilities.
Uncertainty lingers regarding the true nature of the Utah Jazz. Are they a proficient team encountering a rough patch at the beginning of the season, or simply a subpar team that managed to deceive observers into perceiving them as formidable in recent months? The befuddlement ensues, and a significant factor contributing to this uncertainty lies in the struggles faced by the guards on the team, including Collin Sexton, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Jordan Clarkson.
Sexton has rebounded effectively, while Horton-Tucker never posed a real threat to other NBA teams. However, it was Clarkson who faced the greatest and most prolonged struggle. Jazz head coach Will Hardy managed the impact of Sexton and Horton-Tucker on the team, but allowed Clarkson to perform, despite being one of the league's worst shooters.
Currently, the Jazz are facing difficulties in regaining contention for a playoff spot, which is surprising considering they were expected to be one of the top teams in the NBA's Western Conference.
A significant part of their struggle revolves around Clarkson, not only due to his personal struggles, but also because he takes a majority of the team's shots during games. This is irksome to many, especially when considering that Lauri Markkanen is widely regarded as the team's frontrunner, yet Clarkson desires more shot opportunities. Additionally, Clarkson's shooting percentage has hovered around 30% for the majority of the season.
However, in the last three games, Clarkson has shown signs of improvement. He has shot 50.5% from the field, 41% from three-point range, and has made 14 out of 14 free throws. On average, he has scored just under 30 points, along with 2.3 rebounds and 4 assists per game.
His defensive capabilities remain subpar, but this is not a new development. The issue in the last three games, however, has been his turnovers, with a total of 10 turnovers in those games alone. This has heavily contributed to the Jazz being the worst team in the league when it comes to turnovers.
Despite Clarkson's recent improvement in shooting, it is uncertain whether this signifies his full return to form. It should be noted that the three teams he excelled against, namely the Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Portland Trail Blazers, rank 26th, 18th, and 19th, respectively, in opponent field goal percentages. In other words, they are weak defensive teams.
Therefore, it is challenging to validate Clarkson's increased efficiency, as it has come against inadept defensive opponents. An opportunity to truly gauge his performance will arise when the Jazz face the Phoenix Suns, who rank in the top 10 for opponent field goal percentages. If Clarkson can perform well against them, it may suggest that the former Sixth Man Award Winner is truly back.
However, if he fails to deliver against the Suns, it is likely that Clarkson simply took advantage of facing a few weak defenses.
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