Are the Utah Jazz last year’s Milwaukee Bucks?
The Utah Jazz won their game convincingly last night against the defending NBA Champion LA Lakers. Granted, the Lakers are without superstar Anthony Davis, but it was still an impressive showing by the Jazz.
The Jazz currently sits atop of the Western Conference with a 26–6 record, which is the best record in the NBA. They are by far the most impressive team thus far as we near the halfway point of the season. The question becomes whether or not they are a legit contender, or are they just like the Milwaukee Bucks the last couple of seasons?
Milwaukee has been a team that has been the best in the Eastern Conference but has failed to get to the NBA Finals in either of those seasons, even when they were favored to get there.
This happens in the NBA almost every season — a team will be the best team in the league and gel throughout the regular season and then fail in the playoffs. It seems that Utah could be that team this year.
Utah is a team with good players, a couple of stars, but no one who would be classified as a “superstar.” Donovan Mitchell still has time to become a superstar, but he isn’t there just yet. Can a team without a superstar win the NBA Championship?
Mark Jackson of ESPN thinks it’s possible. During last night’s Lakers-Jazz broadcast, Jackson compared this year’s Jazz team to the 2004 Detroit Pistons who went on to win the NBA Championship. That Detroit team had a similar build to this Utah team. They had a great starting five, but none of them would be what you considered a superstar. Richard “Rip” Hamilton and Chauncey Billups were the top scorers on that team.
The other thing that the 2004 Pistons were known for was defense. This year’s Jazz team is currently ranked second best defensively in the league. That could be a factor in the playoffs if they can keep up their great defense, led by Rudy Gobert. Mark Jackson said he wouldn’t bet on the Jazz winning it all, but just due to their defense and chemistry, he said he wouldn’t be surprised.
It’s a good comparison. Although, today’s NBA isn’t the same defensively as the 2004 Pistons. The rules have changed in favor of the offensive players, similarly to how the NFL has altered rules to create more offense.
Donovan Mitchell will have to take the next step and do it with consistency. He has shown he has clutch moments, and he and the Jazz have already proven they can hold their own in the playoffs. Depending on what happens with Anthony Davis and the Lakers, the Western Conference could be wide open.
Whether they’re just a great regular season team or whether they’re a legit title contender, one thing is for certain: the Utah Jazz have been a blast to watch.
