3 Reasons why the Utah Jazz are legitimate contenders this season | NBA 2019-20

#3 The Jazz's recent uptick in bench production is sustainable

Utah were 29th in bench scoring before the Clarkson trade.

When the Jazz traded Dante Exum away to Cleveland for Jordan Clarkson, they were looking for a sharp scoring boost off the bench. It's no mere coincidence that their 10-game winning streak started with Clarkson's inclusion into the lineup.

Although six of the 10 wins came against some of the worst defensive squads in the NBA right now, Utah's bench has seen a surge in offensive production of late.

With Clarkson averaging 15 ppg, this team's bench production has spiked to 37.8 points per game from previously being the second-worst in the league. Royce O'Neale, Jeff Green and Emmanuel Mudiay have all been effective coming off the bench, and are part of the reason for this team's extended winning run.

The Jazz starters have been solid throughout the course of the season. But now that they have a reliable support crew at their disposal, their 2019-20 season is only going to get longer.

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