Utah Jazz: 3 big questions heading into 2018-19 NBA season

1. Will a lack of star power in comparison to other Western contenders ultimately prove problematic?

There is an abundance of talent in the Western Conference. The Warriors have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and DeMarcus Cousins. The Houston Rockets have Chris Paul, James Harden, Carmelo Anthony and Clint Capela. The Oklahoma City Thunder have Russell Westbrook and Paul George.

The Jazz, while squarely in the conversation as a contender and the third- or fourth-best team in the West, don’t feature this type of star power.

Gobert is a defensive star and Mitchell is on the rise with serious potential to become a superstar, but it ends there. They’ve used smart game plans and toughness to grind out wins and prove they belong. They forced Westbrook to shoot his team out of the playoffs in their series with stifling, schematic defense, while playing efficient offense on the other end.

The Jazz won’t “wow” you with high-volume scoring or top-end talent, but their togetherness and drive has been plenty. The question is, will it continue to be enough? Or they will get stuck and surpassed by teams with more stars?

Only time will tell, but if they continue developing and instilling toughness, they can be successful like 2004 Detroit Pistons. The Jazz have the potential to break the mold and become successful without featuring a super-team.