NBA scout compares Utah Jazz to 2003-04 Detroit Pistons

Coming into the NBA season there were plenty of people who thought the Utah Jazz would find success. Many thought they would even be a dark horse in the Western Conference. But dominating to this level, no one saw coming.

The Jazz currently have the best record in the NBA at 25-6 and lead the Western Conference by three games over the LA Clippers. They are led by their All-Star duo Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, who seemingly put to bed any animosity that existed between the two last year. Jordan Clarkson looks like Sixth Man of the Year. Mike Conley has had a big bounce-back season after struggling during his first season in Utah.

Utah is a well-oiled machine. They are fourth in the NBA in offensive rating and second in defensive rating. They are third in points per game and points allowed per game. Six players are averaging over 11 points per game and every player in the rotation averages at least five.

When teams playing at this level, people love to compare them to teams of the past that experienced similar successes. One NBA scout believes this version of the Jazz is comparable to the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons.

“You kind of go back to the old Detroit team that won it,” a longtime Western Conference scout said, referring to the 2003-04 Pistons, whose lone All-Star that season was Ben Wallace, a defensively dominant big man and Detroit’s sixth-leading scorer. “They just had a lot of really good players.

“I thought Utah needed another star, but I’ve changed on that.”

For people who don’t remember, that was the Pistons team that defeated the Los Angeles Lakers team with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton. They were heavy favorites to take home another championship and that loss culminated in the divorce of Bryant and O’Neal.

While nowhere near as star-studded, the Pistons toppled Goliath behind a talented group of players that came together to make a great team. Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince were a great core. Imagine what kind of damage that core would have done had they not passed on Carmelo Anthony or Chris Bosh for Darko Milicic?

While not as explosive offensively as the Jazz, the Pistons had seven players averaging at least 9.5 points per game and 10 averaging at least 5.6. They could count on anyone on any given night stepping up and producing, but it was their defense that carried them.

RELATED: NBA Trade Rumors: 3 intriguing future trade targets for the Utah Jazz to monitor

The comparison of the Jazz to the Pistons does carry some merit. People don’t hold the Jazz duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in as high of regard as some of the other duos in the NBA, yet they are the ones leading the team with the best record in the league.

If teams underestimate the Jazz as they did with the Pistons, we could have an unexpected NBA Champion on our hands once the playoffs wrap up later on this season.

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