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By his 19th birthday, Jakob Poeltl knew he would play in the NBA. By his senior year, Delon Wright could reasonably expect the same.

Utah's last two first-round NBA draft picks played the part of star in their respective final years in college, operating as the focal points of the offense. This year, coach Larry Krystkowiak has drilled into his team, the Runnin' Utes don't have that luxury.

While junior Kyle Kuzma is in some projections as a second-round pick and other Utes may rise in their respective careers, Utah (10-3, 1-0) is operating under the premise that it has no one star player. And on Sunday night, in a 76-60 win over Colorado, the team finally played like Krystkowiak hoped it would: unselfishly.

"If you don't have that star-power NBA guy to go to, you have to do it collectively," he said. "It is getting better."

And healthier: Utah presented its full ensemble at Huntsman Center for only a second time this season. Kuzma was making powerful dunks. David Collette was making hook shots by the rim. Lorenzo Bonam returned to the starting lineup and found his shot. JoJo Zamora and Sedrick Barefield were a dangerous tandem on the fast break.

Between those five, no one scored more than 15 (Bonam) and no one scored less than nine (Barefield). Given a choice on who to stop, Colorado would be hard-pressed — and as it turned out, the Buffs didn't really stop any of them.

Much of the win was thanks to a commitment to zone defense and defensive rebounding, which required a great deal of practice time leading up to the Pac-12 opener.

But a dynamic offense that can flow through any one of an ensemble — that's what potentially makes Utah unique this season, and what makes the Utes a threat to compete in the Pac-12.

"Everybody can really go off," said Kuzma, who finished with 14 points. "It is a great team effort. We shared the ball tonight and had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. It was great."

That ratio was 18 assists to 10 turnovers after three straight games in which Utah had more of the latter than the former. Krystkowiak was frustrated throughout the Diamond Head Classic after Kuzma was injured. Utes weren't looking for each other. Bonam and Barefield, theoretically point guards, had 15 turnovers in the three games to only nine assists (Barefield had only one dish).

With Kuzma restored, so too came order. While Krystkowiak spent some time in the first half subbing players in and out when turnovers cropped up. By the second half, Utah had become a machine: jumping out to a 22-8 second half scoring lead, the Utes ended up shooting 58 percent in the final 20 minutes with 12 assists to only three giveaways.

It won't happen every time, but Krystkowiak would certainly like to see it more. The ugly, improvisational style of individuals creating shots in Hawaii didn't cut it for him.

"We have some scoring-minded guards and even sometimes our posts get a little bit thirsty for scoring points," he said. "It is not a very fun way to play — at least as long as I am going to be here, it's not the way we are going to play."

Utah has spent a good portion of the nonconference schedule playing turnover-heavy basketball with a young team. But the Pac-12 opener offered a blueprint forward, a way to advance Utah from its current place at No. 282 nationally in turnover percentage (21 percent, KenPom).

Whether it's a moment in time or truly the start of a trend will be quickly tested: A date Thursday night at McKale Center looms. Against an Arizona team with as much legitimate NBA talent as the Utes enjoyed last year, the star-less, selfless method will need to hold true.

"I guess Arizona is next," Krystkowiak siad. "Here we go."

kgoon@sltrib.com Twitter: @kylegoon —

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