Cheesewater
(ex-Uriah Heep)
To answer the original question. One item few recognize. SLC has an elevation advantage over every other city in the NBA save Denver. SLC is at 4300 feet, Denver at 5200 feet.
Its enough to slow you down some, but not enough that you would quickly recognize why.
Disclaimer: I'm not a physician.
I don't think that elevation really bothers NBA players like it does NFL players. The difference in cardio-pulmonary efficiency can be significant between these types of athletes. I think pulmonary circulation is more developed in endurance style athletes. Basketball is mostly constant running and jumping and such. Football is mainly short bursts of strength and effort. I could be wrong though.
Plus, it doesn't take long to acclimate to that kind of elevation gain. But it depends on the person.