SALT LAKE CITY — Another losing Jazz season has ended prematurely, tying a dubious Utah record for the most consecutive years not making the playoffs.

The Jazz last made the postseason four years ago, matching the longest playoff drought that occurred during the first four years after the franchise moved to Utah in time for the 1979-80 season. Unlike those early years after relocating from New Orleans, the organization is in a much better state, believing that a roster stocked with young players will be a consistent playoff contender.

But faith without works is dead.

Since the 40-42 Jazz fell two games shy of making the playoffs this season, in large part, due to injuries and the NBA’s least experienced roster, they are on notice for next year. In short, this team has to finish in the top eight of the Western Conference.

“Forty wins is a big step for us, especially from the last two years,” said Gordon Hayward. “I think we’re going the right way. We’re getting better individually; we’re getting better collectively. We got something good going.”

For some, however, patience is wearing thin, even if these last three season have seen an increase in wins from 25 to 38 and then 40.

As all of Jazz nation knows, injuries derailed the team’s potential before the season even started. Once Dante Exum suffered a season-ending knee injury during an international game over the summer, the Jazz were forced to start a rookie at point guard for the third consecutive year.

In succession, dating back to 2013-14, the Jazz have started first-year players Trey Burke, Exum and then Raul Neto this season. Proving to be misfit in coach Quin Snyder’s plans, Burke ended the season out of the playing rotation

The injury problem further escalated when guard Alec Burks went down in December for most of the season. At various times the Jazz also were without frontcourt anchors Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors.

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Monday night, Jazz fans got to relive the greatness of Deron Williams, as the former Jazzman contributed 23 points, four rebounds and six assists for the Dallas Mavericks en route to a 101-92 victory over the Jazz. The loss likely means the Jazz will once again find themselves falling short of the Western Conference playoffs.

Still, even with all the injuries, the Jazz controlled their destiny with regard to the postseason. But losing their final three home games allowed the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks seize the last two playoff spots.

Blaming injuries for the failure to reach the postseason is a double-edged sword. While it’s a fair assessment to insist a healthy team would have made the playoffs, the Jazz were at their healthiest against the Los Angeles Clippers on the night of April 8.

With only Exum not in the lineup, the Jazz could not beat a watered-down Clippers team that rested most of their frontline players. It’s only one game in an 82-game season, but the loss was inexcusable under the circumstances.

Youth and inexperience were cited as reasons for the loss and were repeated after disheartening defeat to the Mavericks in the final home game. After the Dallas game Snyder said: “When you have a group that is young, you don’t have experience. Youth and experience go together. Hopefully this experience, as we get older, will serve us well. When I say we are the youngest team in the league, I’m not trying to be defensive about our team. We also have the least experience of any team in the NBA, so maybe it’s a good thing right now because it means we can get better.”

The failure to make the playoffs begs the following question: Was this season a disappointment? The answer depends on the beholder.

Falling short of the primary expectation, which several players stated after last season, makes it hard to categorize it as a success. But individually and collectively, as Hayward said, progress was made.

Hayward made a significant leap, putting together the best season of his six-year NBA career. Forced to carry too much of the load, Hayward responded with averages of 19.7 points, five rebounds and 3.7 assists.

Favors and Gobert also had their moments, improving over last season and providing enough indication the best is yet to come. The same goes for Trey Lyles, a 20-year-old rookie who presents intriguing potential.

Next year’s projected starting backcourt, Exum and Rodney Hood, remains a mystery. Exum will begin next season as a 21-year-old with only one year of experience, but his size and agility offer much promise.

Hood still has a long way to go to prove worthy of being a starter on a playoff team. At times (30 points in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers) Hood was brilliant, but then down the stretch (a combined 6 of 30 in losses to the Clippers and Mavericks) he struggled.

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