Ranking the Utah Jazz among the NBA’s remaining undefeated teams
Utah Jazz vs Golden State Warriors
The gap between the Chicago Bulls and both the Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz feels like a wide one. Honestly, we took almost no time to make a decision on where to rank the Bulls in this article. The gap between the Warriors and the Jazz, on the other hand, feels razor thin.
The Golden State Warriors roster the best player between these two teams in Steph Curry. With averages of 29.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists per contest, he remains an offense-onto-himself. There are superstars, and then there are ever-exploding supernovas, and Curry falls into the latter category.
The Warriors still fall short of the Utah Jazz as it stands. That’s not a biased position: it’s justified by each club’s net rating. The Jazz rank one spot ahead of the Golden State Warriors in Offensive Rating: their 114.2 is fourth in the league, and the Warriors’ 112.9 is fifth. The Jazz boast a much larger advantage in Defensive Rating: their 99.9 is third in the NBA, where the Warriors’ 105.7 is 15th. In terms of Net Rating, the Utah Jazz boast the second-best in the Association at 14.3. The Warriors land 6th in that category at 7.2.
There are explanatory factors to bolster that data, and the most substantial one is the Warriors’ somewhat unorthodox roster construction. They host an odd mixture of veterans and youth. The 22-year-old Jordan Poole is receiving the fourth-most minutes on their team (27.8), and for all of his talent, he’s struggling. He’s shooting 40.3% from the field, and an ugly 24.1% from three-point range.
Alternatively, 38-year-old Andre Iguodala is making use of his return for San Francisco, ranking sixth on the team at 22.0 minutes per contest. It’s hard to feel confident in the veteran’s ability to justify his usage when he hasn’t posted a positive Box Plus/Minus (BPM) since 2017-18. On the other hand, lottery pick Jonathan Kuminga has yet to make his NBA debut, but given the rawness of the high-upside prospect, Coach Kerr may find himself sticking with the devil he knows in Iguodala.
Two factors could push this Warriors team ahead of the Utah Jazz. The first is the impending return of Klay Thompson. He’s been shelved with an injury for two years. It’s hard to know what to anticipate from the former All-Star. If he’s even 80% of his former self, this team could launch into very serious NBA title contention. On the other hand, if his mobility is significantly compromised, his return could be closer to a neutral, if not entirely negative factor for the Warriors.
The second is the potential for the Warriors to author a blockbuster trade. The rumor mill has rampantly anticipated this team to consolidate one or more of James Wiseman and their various prospects into an available NBA superstar since Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody were still upcoming draftees. If Bradley Beal, Domantas Sabonis, Pascal Siakam, Christian Wood or someone less expected becomes available by this year’s deadline, this Warriors team could end up looking even stronger.
For the time being, they look just a shade weaker than the also-undefeated Utah Jazz.