Are the Utah Jazz for real?
The expectation was to tank for Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson after trading All-Stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell last summer. Instead, the Jazz led the Western Conference at 10-3 through Friday's games -- a game better their start in 2020-21 en route to the NBA's best regular-season record.
With each passing win, calling the team a fluke becomes more difficult. How well should we expect Utah to perform if this club sticks together over the course of the season? And is that potential worth more than trading veterans and playing for lottery positioning?
What can history tell us about the Jazz's start and their chances of maintaining a playoff spot in the Western Conference?
Throughout the NBA season, I answer your questions about the latest, most interesting topics in basketball. You can tweet me directly at @kpelton, tweet your questions using the hashtag #peltonmailbag or email them to peltonmailbag@gmail.com.
In addition to the main question, this week's mailbag also tackles home-court advantage's effect over the course of the season and all-international starting fives.