Contenders and Pretenders: Making sense of the NBA’s crowded field
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is perhaps the most difficult of these teams to classify. While other teams have pursued the formation of superstar duos, the Jazz paired Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic with Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, forming a highly-talented quartet.
Additionally, Quin Snyder has proved to be a fantastic head coach in his time with Utah and will likely find a way to optimize the impact of his top players. Gobert’s presence in the lane will set the tone on defense, altering the attack strategies of Utah’s opponents.
Meanwhile, the presence of supplementary scorers in Conley and Bogdanovic will relieve Mitchell of the heavy scoring burden that he has carried in his first two NBA seasons. As a result, he will likely see his assist totals and shooting percentages rise this seasons, as he no longer has to force bad shots, but can become a more willing passer.
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Ultimately, Utah’s status in the Western Conference is decided by its competitors. While Utah has the talent and coaching to succeed, it is more than likely that the Nuggets, Rockets, Clippers, and Lakers would all beat the Jazz in a 7-game series. This is not an indictment of the Jazz, but a testament to the level of talent in the Western Conference.
Verdict: Pretender