Meet Your Next NBA champions!

Utah Jazz: They’ve held down the fort through the season’s first half (25-17) pretty well, which is impressive considering they haven’t had their best players healthy at the same time. Between Deron Williams’ ankle and Carlos Boozer’s hamstring, as well as several other less prominent injuries, Utah has relied on its superior depth to carry it through the first half.

Boozer could be back for the season’s final month or two, which would be a huge boost. And even if he isn’t, Williams is back to playing like the Williams of old, and it’s showing in the Jazz’s recent results. Despite the injuries, the Jazz are also defending better than they ever have in the post-Stockton-Malone era, ranking 10th in defensive efficiency.

Utah has been as high as No. 5 in the Power Rankings and is currently No. 9 even without Boozer; should he come back, I’d still argue this is the one team that can legitimately say it can match the Lakers talent-wise and come out of the West.