Utah Jazz: 2018-19 NBA season preview
By KC Whitten
Predictions
Though the Jazz took a slight step back last season from the 51-win team of 2016-17, the regression is directly linked to the loss of Gobert for the early part of the year. With a healthy roster in 2018-19, Utah will once again eclipse the 50-win mark and grab the Northwest Division title.
The Jazz will dominate on the defensive end, with Gobert and Favors being the most dominant frontcourt in the NBA. Royce O’Neale will have a breakout season, and will be Utah’s best player off the bench.
After being snubbed last season with the Rookie of the Year award going to Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell will be voted into the All-Star Game. Utah will have two first-time All-Stars, as Rudy Gobert will join Mitchell in Charlotte for All-Star Weekend.
As for the postseason, the Jazz will enter the playoffs as the 3-seed, their highest playoff seeding since 1999-00. The team finally gets over the hump, defeating the Rockets in the second round and advancing to the Western Conference Finals against Golden State. Unfortunately, Utah can’t match the Warriors’ elite 3-point shooting and is defeated in five games.
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Ultimately, the 2018-19 season in Salt Lake City will be the most successful year since the John Stockton/Karl Malone era. The Jazz will enter the offseason with decisions to make regarding Favors’ future. With a deep free agent market, and a young emerging team, it’ll be interesting to see what management decides to do with the roster next summer.