The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz: What’s real and what’s not in the West?

By Jared Woodcox

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 9: Jae Crowder #99 and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz speak to the media after the game against the Boston Celtics on November 9, 2018 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 9: Jae Crowder #99 and Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz speak to the media after the game against the Boston Celtics on November 9, 2018 at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 3: Denver Nuggets players celebrate during the game against the Utah Jazz on November 3, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 3: Denver Nuggets players celebrate during the game against the Utah Jazz on November 3, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Fast Starters

These are the Western Conference teams that have gotten off to hot starts and have looked like forces in the West so far. Some were expected (such as Golden State, duh, right?) while others were quite surprising (looking at you, Denver). Will they all keep it up?

Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are off to the best record in the Western Conference of 10-2 and appear yet again to be the most dominant team in the league. In other news, the sky is blue, water is wet and puppies are adorable.

But, in all seriousness, is anyone surprised by this one? The Warriors’ only true foe is boredom, which casts a discouraging shadow on the league. As intriguing as teams may be this season in the West, and as fun as it is to imagine that a potential rising force in the East such as the Toronto Raptors or Milwaukee Bucks could actually stand against the Warriors in the Finals, we all know that the only real threat they face is complacency.

I’m not going to waste too much time on the Warriors because let’s just keep it simple. They’re off to a great start, just as we all projected, and we know said fast start is definitely very real. They’re the back-to-back champs and remain the best team in the league. Anything other than hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy for a third straight year will be a failed season for them.

Portland Trail Blazers

Some NBA fans are shocked by this one. I’d say I’m less so. Perhaps I didn’t expect Portland to get off to the incredible 9-3 start they’re currently posting, which has included big-time wins over the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers, but I still expected Portland to be just fine.

Sure, they had a lot of turnover in their role and bench players, but as long as Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are leading this team along with underrated head coach Terry Stotts, I’m confident that they’ll be a force. The Blazers are currently sitting at top ten in the league in both offensive and defensive rating, and particularly their offense (third in the NBA) has been firing on all cylinders.

I’m not about to say that I’m certain that they’ll continue at this pace or that they’ll end up with the two-seed, which is where they sit currently, but I do believe the Blazers are for real and will find themselves back in the playoff mix yet again.

Denver Nuggets

I’ve got to admit, the Denver Nuggets have been a huge surprise for me and I did not quite see this one coming. Yes, I expected them to be better and had them pushing at least the Minnesota Timberwolves out of the playoff mix while qualifying themselves, but Denver has looked like one of the best teams in the NBA thus far as they sit at 9-3.

We’ve always known that this young squad could score, but what’s been most surprising has been their defense. They’re currently third in the league in defensive rating and, for what it’s worth, a forgettable 11th in offensive rating, which has typically been their strong suit. Their three-headed beast of Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and extremely skilled big man Nikola Jokic has been highly effective, while the support of Paul Millsap has been invaluable.

Despite Denver’s early-season success, they have some kinks to work out. The offense has had some struggles and you have to worry that their defense may not be sustainable. The Nuggets have posted some incredible wins this season, including over the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz.

But after losing two straight, first to the Memphis Grizzlies in a patented Memphis ugly affair and then to the mediocre Brooklyn Nets, one can’t help but wonder if they’re already starting to come back down to earth. I think the Nuggets will continue to be a dangerous young squad and that they’ll be a playoff force. However, I think their 9-1 start that has already dropped to 9-3 was a bit misleading.

They’re real in that they are a good team, but I don’t believe that a true top-three seed in the West is an accurate depiction of what they’ll end up as this year.

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