Let it be known: I was wrong about the Utah Jazz

I was completely wrong. I admit it.
But I've never been so happy to be so.
I'm not alone though. In fact, you can lump me in with the countless other fans and media members who thought the Utah Jazz's chances of having a winning season were about the same as John Kerry winning the NBA's dunk contest.
Zero. Zilch. None.
But they've done the unthinkable, and are currently fighting for a playoff spot. I would have put down any amount of money against this before the season, and I'm just glad I was far, far away from any Vegas casino.
Adding to all this, the Jazz have done so without their best player going into the season, Matt Harpring.
Many would argue that Andrei Kirilenko is now Utah's best player, and I wouldn't disagree.
Still, Harpring is a very important part of this Jazz team, and it makes their accomplishments that more amazing that they did so without him.
But how did they get to this point, with little discernable talent?
First and foremost, Jerry Sloan deserves much of the credit.
He and Phil Jackson are the best two coaches in the NBA. Both command respect from their players, and each go about it in very different ways.
Jackson uses mind tricks to captivate his players, and Sloan just commands respect. Each is effective.
The players obviously get the rest of the credit, but there's a certain few who have really stepped up.
Raja Bell was the 12th man on the Dallas roster last season, and was used only for specific defensive assignments in a seldom-used role.
Bell's niche was defense coming into the season, but who would have thought he would average over 11 points per game, and consistently hit huge shots at the end of games?
Problem was, between Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finley and Steve Nash there just wasn't any room for Bell to show any offensive firepower.
Perhaps the biggest key has been the play of Utah's point guards, Raul Lopez and Carlos Arroyo. Both are streaky to be sure, but usually one is on if the other is off.
Arroyo has averaged over 12 points a game, shooting 44 percent from the field, and dishing out five assists. Lopez is the fan favorite, mostly because of his Stockton-esque flashes at times.
Unloading dead-weight Deshawn Stevenson for Gordon Giricek has proven to be huge, especially down the stretch.
If any Jazz fan tells you Giricek doesn't remind them of Jeff Hornacek they're lying. He's been a stellar pick-up for the Jazz.
Yeah, I was wrong. I said all along that Utah would win between 20-24 games, and would look ugly doing so.
Instead, new players have breathed life into the team, and they have a young, energetic look.
In addition, the Jazz could have as many as three first-round draft picks this season, and they'll also have a boat-load of cash to go after free agents with.
Sure, they may not lure Kobe Bryant to Salt Lake City, but other big-name free agents may just give Utah a chance.
And more importantly, the "re-building" process Utah was supposed to go through might not be as long and severe as we all thought. All you have to do is take a look at teams like the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, who've been re-building for several years now, to see just how fortunate Utah might be.
And I've never been more happy to be completely wrong.