Bojan Bogdanović has quietly played incredible for the Utah Jazz

Over the Utah Jazz’s eight game winning streak, much attention has (rightfully) been focused on the performances of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Both players have dominated, with Mitchell in particular forcing himself into MVP conversations with his All-NBA level play. Still, the Utah Jazz, much like any other team, are a sum of their parts. One role player in particular, Bojan Bogdanovic, has quietly played an integral role in Utah’s success.

For the season, Bogdanovic has averaged 17.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on 47.4/42.2/92.0 percent shooting splits.

Over the last eight games however, Bogdanovic has averaged 15.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 50.0/45.8/90.5/ percent shooting splits.

On the surface, Bogdanovic’s scoring production has gone down. This, however, doesn’t paint a good picture of his performance. For one, Bogdanovic has played incredibly efficient over Utah’s winning streak. He’s only shot below 50% from the field three times and lowered his turnover rate to below one a game. Furthermore, Bogdanovic has averaged a plus-minus of plus-12.4 and a respectable game score of 11.4.

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Most importantly, Bogdanovic has played with a high level of engagement and effort. When motivated to do so, Bogdanovic has the ability to play impactful defense. Over Utah’s winning streak, he’s done a good job of focusing on making solid rotations and limiting silly mistakes. Since he joined the Jazz in 2019, his production has always depended on his confidence and effort. Right now, he’s clearly playing poised, assertive, and loose, which is a major plus for the Jazz. While none of the numbers above jump off the page, his impact as a highly efficient role player who has a quick trigger and plays respectable defense shouldn’t be undervalued.

Obviously, Bogdanovic bends opposing defenses with his perimeter shooting, spacing the floor and creating easier shots for Utah’s ball handlers and bigs. Almost equally important to that is Bogdanovic’s consistency. This season, Bogdanovic has only scored under 10 points twice and has brought a more regular level of effort. Having less volatility within the Jazz’s role players has a significant impact towards Utah’s success. So long as Bogdanovic can play a similar level in the playoffs, we should all be satisfied with his production.