Utah Jazz: Can the Fifth Seed Be Better Than the Fourth?

Is there a silver lining to the Utah Jazz entering their first-round series with the Clippers as the No. 5 seed?

Despite the situation heading into Wednesday night’s games, the fifth seed for the Utah Jazz seemed to be decided before the Golden State Warriors game. But after watching the Jazz beat two of the best teams in the NBA to finish off their season, there was a glimmer of hope for home court advantage.

All that needed to happen was for the Sacramento Kings to beat the L.A. Clippers. Did it happen? No. But I’d like to argue that the fifth seed puts the Jazz in a better position to achieve postseason success.

This Jazz team has exceeded the expectations of everyone. They have done so by earning 51 wins, securing a playoff spot in a tough Western conference and winning the Northwest division for the first time since 2008. With the increase in success, comes the increase in pressure. The major veteran additions of Boris Diaw, Joe Johnson and George Hill are sure to help with this unfamiliar pressure. But by not having home court advantage, the expectations on the team are reduced for the first two road games.

Most people understand how difficult it is for a team to go into a hostile building and come out with a win against one of the best teams in the West. The first two games of this series will be looked at as a great success if the Jazz can come out of Los Angeles with one win. If they don’t win one of the first two games, they come back to a hungry and hostile Jazz fanbase that is sure to provide them with a spark and the confidence to succeed.

With little playoff experience on the Utah Jazz, can starting the series on the road allow for adjustment?

The Jazz are a rather inexperienced playoff team. With the exception of the recent veteran additions, there is little to no experience in the playoffs on the roster. Although we have some emerging stars and a talented team overall, the playoffs are a totally different entity. Having the first two games on the road will force the inexperienced players into an uncomfortable environment. Doing this gives them a chance to find their composure without having the expectations of winning both of their first two playoff games that they have ever played in.

Once they find that composure, it’s likely that they will be more prepared for the rest of the series.

The fifth seed also lets the now healthy Jazz test out which lineups are going to be optimal for match-ups against the Clippers without the pressure of having to protect their home floor. This could pay off big-time later in the series. This year, when the Jazz are healthy, they have been playing great basketball. If they’re not hindered by injuries, it is likely that there are going to be match-ups that can be exploited in order to have success.

A healthy Jazz team is extremely deep and there are going to be questions about the lineup and minute distribution that need to be answered. Should Derrick Favors come off the bench? Which backup point guard can defend Chris Paul and/or Austin Rivers the best? These questions along with others can be answered in the first two games of the series. Having relatively low expectations lets the Jazz find out the best strategy for them to earn a series win without feeling the dread if they were to drop a home game.

Ultimately, the Utah Jazz have a great opportunity to make a deep run into the playoffs. Barring a game seven, this particular case shows that the Jazz may have an unexpected advantage by not securing the fourth seed. The relatively low expectations combined with the likelihood of playoff inexperience affecting their performance are key factors in letting the Utah Jazz adjust and become more comfortable to the playoff environment.

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This adjustment should pay dividends by letting the Jazz focus more on quality of play rather than focusing on emotions and expectations, hopefully resulting in a first-round victory.