Before Monday's game against Houston, the Jazz had been playing some of their best basketball of the season up to that point — resulting in a five-game winning streak.
It wasn't just the victories, though. It was how Utah was getting the results — dominant defense, efficient offense, and energy/hustle.
While the victory against the Rockets was more of the same, there was one big difference. The return of all-star big man Rudy Gobert brought a different energy and vibe to the team, resulting in a 135-101 victory over Houston.
"We just decided to just focus on the thing that was the most essential and most important, also the most simple things like just running back or communication," Gobert said postgame. "It's been very fun to watch."
Here are five things to know following the win:
1.) Rudy Gobert Makes Triumphant ReturnAfter missing nine games dealing with a strained left calf, Gobert returned to the court — and it didn't take long for the three-time defensive player of the year to make his presence felt.
On Utah's second possession, fellow all-star Donovan Mitchell found Gobert under the hoop with a no-look pass. The three-time all-star took care of it from there, throwing down a thunderous two-handed dunk to ignite the Vivint crowd early on.
Overall, it was a good night for Gobert, finishing with 14 points and seven rebounds. While those numbers are significantly below his season averages, his dominance on the court was still there as he finished with a +20 rating in just 22 minutes.
"He did the things he does for us. … It's good to have him back," head coach Quin Snyder said of Gobert.
Apart from the dunk, Gobert got off to a slow start while still working himself back into shape, with Snyder even noting that the big man looked a little tired in the first half. But Gobert caught his second wind and was phenomenal as the game went on, finishing with eight points and four rebounds in the second half.
Much more will be expected of Gobert in the coming months, but the fact that his return was a successful one is why there's a lot of optimism in the Mountain West right now.
"I felt strong, I feel great," Gobert said. "I did some pretty explosive movement without thinking about it. I didn't have any extra pain."
2.) Donovan Mitchell Continues To Tear It UpWhile Gobert is still working himself into shape after the injury, Mitchell is good to go after suffering a concussion and missing eight games. In his fifth game back, he dropped a game-high 30 points on 9-of-15 shooting and 5-of-9 from three-point territory.
While the numbers are good, what was more impressive was how Mitchell has continued to elevate his game in other aspects than scoring. His court vision has improved significantly, and he sees the game differently, able to quickly diagnose defenses and take advantage of matchups anywhere on the floor.
Since his return, Mitchell has been playing at an all-NBA level. He's putting up similar numbers to what he was before the concussion, but his efficiency has improved significantly, so have the Jazz.
In February, he's averaging 25.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists on 51.5% shooting from the floor, 45.7% from beyond the arc, and 86% from the free throw line. He is also averaging a +15 rating in 31.6 minutes per game.
With Gobert expected to be fully healthy following the all-star break and Mitchell playing some of his best basketball of the season, there's a reason why these two will be a force to be reckoned with in April, May, and June.
3.) Mike Conley Dominates Despite Two PointsSnyder has pointed it out multiple times this season. Mike Conley doesn't need to score points to completely take over a basketball game, and Monday night was another showing of that.
It's rare that a player completely dominates a game despite shooting just 1-for-8 (0-for-6 from deep), but that's what Conley did against the Rockets. Despite finishing with just two points, he had 10 assists, four steals, three rebounds, and a +18 rating in 23 minutes.
One of the premier shooters in the league — No. 10 entering Monday night in three-point percentage — there will not be many nights when Conley struggles from the floor. But regardless of his shooting, his ability to create and run the offense at such high efficiency opens up the floor for many others to thrive.
Whether it's the pick-and-roll with Gobert, getting into the paint to kick out to an open shooter, or dictating the motion to find the mismatch, an argument can be made that Conley is the key to Utah's success. More often than not, when Conley plays well, regardless of points, the Jazz look near unbeatable — and Houston found out the tough way.
"I think it's really important for the whole team to know that you have the ability to impact the game even if you're not scoring," Snyder said. "It's easy to get caught up in scoring as the sole contribution to the game. … But when it's not going down, what can you do to help the team win? Mike's play tonight showed that."
4.) Bench Blasts Houston With Impressive ShowingThe 135 points scored by the Jazz on Monday night was the most amount of points they've scored in a little over two months.
While the starters played a big role in that, combining for 75 points, the bench delivered the knockout blows in the victory. Four players scored in double-figures as they dropped 60 points on the night as a unit.
While those stats are impressive, how Utah's bench handled its business proved to be most impressive. The Jazz didn't just score, they defended, rebounded, blocked shots, and flat-out played the Rockets in every facet of the game.
Hassan Whiteside led the dominant effort with 11 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks. Jordan Clarkson added 16 points and a team-high +25 rating in 26 minutes, while Eric Paschall and Udoka Azubuike added 12 and 10 points.
With 10 total players playing at least 12 minutes on the night, Utah is resembling the team that many envisioned they'd be entering the season.
5.) Good Energy, Good VibesPlenty has been written about Utah's struggles in January and their current redemption tour in February.
But like it was stated at the beginning of the article, the most significant changes have been simple: dominant defense, efficient offense, and better energy/hustle. After missing nine games, in the middle of a brutal losing streak, Gobert noticed the changes within the team now that he's back on the court.
"Our energy is different," Gobert said. "I feel like something happened within our team. … That slump really sparked something. I feel like we're a team that's trying to accomplish something."
He's not wrong.
This is a vastly different team than the one playing in January, and a lot of that change is because of the accountability Utah has taken in the locker room. Rather than sulk, blame one another, or fight with each other, the Jazz have attacked the problems head-on and collectively — and the result has been a thing of beauty.
"That's how you build those winning habits," Mitchell said. "And I can't say those were there earlier in the year. Now we're all holding each other accountable and all communicating, and that's allowing us to take that step."