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NBA Season Preview 2018-19: Every team’s best case scenario

By John Hugar

SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors as part of 2017 NBA Global Games China at Mercedes-Benz Arena on October 8, 2017 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images)
SHANGHAI, CHINA - OCTOBER 08: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors as part of 2017 NBA Global Games China at Mercedes-Benz Arena on October 8, 2017 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Zhong Zhi/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TX – MAY 4: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets during Game Three of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2018 at the Vivint Smart Home Arena Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Utah Jazz

Going into their series against the Thunder, many experts thought the Jazz had a shot at beating Russ, PG, and Melo. That being said, no one was quite prepared to watch them blow them right out of the water. Donovan Mitchell looked more and more like a superstar as his rookie season progressed, and who knows how much better he could in year two.

Really, the Jazz are an incredibly well-rounded team, and when considering their ceiling, it’s reasonable to place it pretty high. Are they better than the Lakers? They’re certainly deeper. Are they better than the Rockets? They’ll play better defense. We’ve reached the “can they beat the Warriors” portion of these proceedings, and while I’d answer no for the Jazz, I do think they’re going to keep getting better. A Conference Finals appearance is possible in 2018-19, and greater things could happen down the line.