OK, so admit it. You were fooled too. When the season started, you had your usual list of suspects for teams that were going to be a factor in the Western Conference this season. Everyone’s top three consisted of Dallas, San Antonio and Phoenix, and many figured last spring’s playoff teams would only improve. Throw in a healthy Yao and Tracy McGrady, and the return of Don Nelson to Golden State, and both the Rockets and Warriors even nudged themselves into the postseason conversation. But the Utah Jazz? No matter what argument you would present, there was little evidence aside from a 9-4 streak to close out last season to believe that such a substantial turnaround was coming.

Yet with nearly five weeks of the season in the rear view mirror, the Jazz find themselves sitting atop the Northwest Division with a 13-3 record after a franchise record 12-1 start, their best since the 1996-97 season when they ultimately lost to the Michael Jordan-led Bulls in the NBA Finals. The Jazz have been one of the biggest surprises of the league thus far, and they’ve done it with a roster that goes virtually unrecognized. So who are these guys?

The man needs no introduction. While John Stockton and Karl Malone were doing their thing for 15 seasons together, Jerry Sloan was the model of stability roaming the sidelines. Since their retirement, Sloan is as intense as ever, and despite enduring three straight postseason-less seasons, he has continued to preach the same offensive and defensive philosophies that helped guide the Jazz to 15 consecutive playoff appearances under his watch. Do opponents know what’s coming? Absolutely, but with close to 1,000 career victories under his belt (997 and counting), teams still can’t stop the pick and roll.

Next stop for Sloan: The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Quite possibly the most underrated player in the league when you look at the early numbers he has posted. Through 15 games Boozer is averaging 22 points and 13 rebounds per game, trumping his career averages by nearly eight points and four rebounds per game. With four games of 30-plus points and 13 double-doubles, including a 31-point, 16-rebound game against the Lakers a week ago, Boozer has been impressive on the glass and is one of the MAIN reasons why Utah leads the league in rebounding, averaging nearly 10 more rebounds per game than its opponents. Provided he can maintain his health, something that has dogged him the last two seasons when he played a combined 84 games, he is on his way to reclaiming his status as one of the premier power forwards in the game. This is the kind of season that Jazz fans were hoping for when he signed the highly publicized lucrative six-year deal prior to the 2004-05 season. It's finally here, just two years later.

Many execs and fans felt that Utah (and Atlanta) missed the boat when they selected Williams ahead of Chris Paul, and it was hard to argue as the Wake Forest guard was on his way to the T-Mobile Rookie of the Year honors and a coveted spot on the U.S.A. Men’s Senior National Team. But while Paul has continued to impress, Williams has taken his game to another level thanks to tireless offseason work that helped him shed excess pounds and a more clearly defined role in the Jazz system. By his own admission, Williams often feared the quick hook last season from Sloan when mistakes occurred, and as a result, rarely took it to the basket during his rookie season. This season, Sloan has encouraged him to be more aggressive and the results have been plentiful. Case in point, the 27-point, 15-assist (a career-high) night he dropped on the Milwaukee Bucks, the same game that Michael Redd dazzled with his 57-point outburst. And by the way, he also found Matt Harpring for the game-winning layup with 1.8 seconds remaining to steal the victory. Williams and his nine assists-per-game have been a big reason why the Jazz are currently ranked No. 4 in the league in total offense (102.8 ppg). This is the season Williams escapes Paul's rookie of the year shadow.

Like Boozer, Kirilenko is another player frequently bit by the injury bug, having already missed five games this season. When on the court, he does it all for the Jazz with his all-out hustle and tremendous shot-blocking ability. A member of the NBA’s All-Defensive Team three years in a row, he led the League in total blocks last year and currently ranks third in blocks per game at 2.9.

Selected 38th by the Detroit Pistons in 2001, Okur never found his place with a Detroit championship team that featured one of the best starting fives in recent memory. In 2004, the Jazz swooped in and rescued him off the free agent list and he has blossomed more than they could have hoped, posting a breakout year of 18 and 9 in 2005. This season he has continued his above average production at 15 points and 9 rebounds per game, leads the team in 3-pointers made, and even got some revenge against his former team by blocking Rip Hamilton’s layup attempt in the closing moments of Utah’s early 103-101 win over Detroit.

One of the first men off the bench for Coach Sloan has been Matt Harpring, a nine-year veteran who averaged nearly 18 ppg during his first season with Utah in 2003. During his time in Utah, he has contributed both off the bench and as a starter, an ideal quality in a player on a Jerry Sloan-coached team, and has also shown the ability to step up in the playoffs, contributing double-digit scoring in each of the Jazz playoff games in 2003. This season, he has provided his usual solid production with 12 points and five boards per game and poses a problem for teams that have to defend his outside shooting capabilities (.455 from three-point range)…

The key free agent acquisition for the Jazz this offseason, Derek Fisher has brought tons of big game experience with him from Los Angeles where he won three rings. Never afraid to take the big shot, Fisher has been a calming veteran influence on this young team…

Hoping to bounce back from an injury-filled 2006 season in which he played only 37 games, Gordan Giricek has been hampered once again by Achilles tendon problems, though this time with the pain coming from his right Achilles. He has contributed solid offensive numbers and has good range when he has been on the court, but his minutes thus far have been limited...

Jarron Collins rounds out the Jazz frontcourt by doing the dirty work under the basket and has provided Sloan with a legitimate 6-11 banger for 15-to-20 minutes per night. Should Boozer or Okur go down, Collins can step in, having started 185 games over his six-year career...

Two of the most impressive surprises for the Jazz have been the play of Ronnie Brewer, who has recently moved into the starting lineup, (the No. 14 overall selection) and Paul Millsap (No. 47 overall). Brewer was considered by many to be the best athlete in the Draft and hasn’t disappointed, contributing in just about every important category and providing strong defense, while Millsap has been a force on the boards and has shown a knack for scoring given increased playing time…

Still relatively raw after being drafted straight out of high school last year, C.J. Miles was shown faith by Sloan early, having started 12 games, but he has since taken a hit in playing time.