SALT LAKE CITY — Friday night's game against the Detroit Pistons (8:30 p.m., ESPN) is the Utah Jazz's 41st of the season. In other words, it's the halfway point of the 2016-17 campaign, and that means it's a logical time to review what's been done so far, and what to look forward to in the second half. Here's what's going on:

Stifling defense

The Jazz have the best defense in the league, allowing the fewest points per 100 possessions. That's thanks to a stifling defense which allows teams to make just 42.9 percent of their shots on average. They don't force a lot of turnovers but instead beat teams by forcing them away from the 3-point shot (the Jazz allow the fewest 3-point attempts in the league) and into the lengthy arms of Rudy Gobert, the league's best rim protector.

Inspired by @AlecBNathan, 27 have faced > 5 FGA per game at rim and allowed < 50 FG%. Of them, @rudygobert27 is biggest outlier imaginable: pic.twitter.com/udJ5FA6khO — NBA Math (@NBA_Math) December 31, 2016

And yet, the Jazz still think they can improve. In particular, the Jazz allow 101.4 points per 100 possessions overall, but just 95.1 points per 100 when George Hill is on the floor. As Hill's able to play more (he's played 16 of 40 games so far), the Jazz should get even better. And then there's the option the Jazz have to play more aggressively, in order to force more turnovers (and get easier looks for their offense).

"We could just be more aggressive, whether it be in screen actions or in help situations," Quin Snyder said. "I think those wings, using their length and their size to create some more deflections and turnovers. I don't want to sacrifice fouling for that, and you don't want to overhelp."

Better than expected offense

I asked Snyder what the biggest surprise of the first half of the season was for him.

"Frankly, I think we've been better offensively than I thought we could be. Given some of the injuries, particularly with George being out, I've been surprised we've won as much as we've had with George's injuries."

Right now, the Jazz rank 12th in the league offensively, scoring 106.3 points per 100 possessions. Again, with Hill on the floor, the Jazz score even more frequently: 112.4 points per 100 possessions, which would be third in the league as a standalone figure.

It's not all roses. Over the last 10 games, the Jazz have been just 22nd in the league offensively, which has dragged their season totals overall out of the top 10. The offense seems to really bog down against physical teams, and Rodney Hood's recent slump hurt the Jazz.

Some player improvements

Many of the Jazz have taken significant steps forward since last season as well.

• Gobert's offensive improvements have been critical to the Jazz, by putting pressure on the rim and creating space for his teammates. His ability to catch the ball has wildly improved, and he's added better footwork and more core strength, allowing him to get in better positions to dunk than ever before. Those strength improvements also show up in his rebounding and turnover numbers, both improved over last season.
• Joe Ingles has set the world on fire with his 3-point shooting, despite a January slump. Everyone knew Jingles was a good shooter, but being top 10 in the league has really helped. The other parts of his game have been the bigger surprise, though. His sudden turn to become the Jazz's defensive stopper was unexpected, and that he's still shooting 78 percent at the rim despite his limited verticality is something else too. He's always been a fan favorite, but he's also one of the Jazz's most important players.
• Gordon Hayward's has gotten 10 percent better every season since he was drafted, and, yep, he's done it again.

Some player disappointments

• We all promised not to be too harsh on Dante Exum as he returned to play following a year off due to his ACL tear, but I think it's fair to be worried about the future of the Australian Jazz PG. In his rookie season, his NBA skill was his defense. However, in his second season, he hasn't had the same impact. It does seem like he's laterally slower than he used to be on the ball, but I think the biggest difference is mental: he's switching more frequently, getting lost in space and dying on screens more often. Shelvin Mack's beat him out for playing time, and that's despite ...
• Shelvin Mack regressing a little bit. Mack was better in Utah last year than this year, even if you just compare the times that both were in the starting lineup. Last year, Mack had multiple 10-plus assist games, made more of his threes and turned the ball over less frequently. Mack's developed his mid-range game since then, but the package offers less than last season. Backup PG is a spot where the Jazz would like to improve, though they'd rather that improvement come from within.

• Rodney Hood's improved in a few respects (rebounding, turnovers), but his shooting has declined, especially in recent weeks. His shot looks better than it has actually been at going in the hoop, and Hood won't be happy with shooting 34 percent from 3 and 40 percent overall. His defense has also left something to be desired at times. Hood's propensity to get hot can change games, but the same is true when the stroke is off.

Where they stand

Right now, the Jazz are in the fifth seed in the Western Conference, tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder and a half game above the Memphis Grizzlies. They're 2.5 games out of the fourth seed, occupied by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Right now, there's a 61.1 percent probability of the Jazz facing the Clippers in the playoffs, according to Neil Johnson of ESPN Analytics. They project the Jazz will win 49 wins this season, slightly above their preseason Vegas win over-under of 47.5.

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