Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz is, quite possibly, the most oddly juxtaposed team name in sports (the mention of the state of Utah does not inspire visions of jazz bands). The team is also one of the most consistently successful franchises in the NBA. In the late 1980s and 1990s, they were playoff perennials, and they have recently regained their status as a tough Western Conference contender. They play their home games at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City.

Early Years

The Jazz began their NBA life in New Orleans, La., in 1974. As an expansion team, they didn’t win many games, but with high-scoring, flamboyant guard “Pistol” Pete Maravich, they were always entertaining to watch.

The team moved to Salt Lake City in 1979 and decided to keep the name “Jazz” even though the region was hardly known for its jazz music.

John Stockton and Karl Malone

Two draft picks in the mid-1980s helped cement the Jazz’ success for years to come. The team drafted point guard John Stockton out of Gonzaga University in 1984, followed by brick-solid power forward Karl Malone (Louisiana Tech) in 1985. Together, they ran one of the game’s oldest offensive plays, the pick and roll, to such perfection that it was nearly impossible to stop. Teams knew the pick and roll was coming, because it was the basis of the Utah offense. But try as they might, they could not shut it down. The names “Stockton and Malone” became a package deal; you didn’t hear one name without the other. The two greats would both go on to join the list of the “NBA’s 50 Greatest Players.” Though some might debate the whether certain names belong on that list, no one can dispute Stockton and Malone, who are considered by some to be the best point guard and power forward in the history of professional basketball.

NBA Finals Appearances

Several teams – in both the Eastern and Western conferences – have had the misfortune of playing in the Michael Jordan era. The Jazz, who were one of the best teams in the West for much of the 1990s, can rightfully claim such misfortune. During their two NBA Finals seasons, they could arguably have beaten any other team in the league except Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.

In 1996-97, the Jazz were dominant, posting a 64-18 record and breezing through the Eastern Conference playoffs. They only lost three games in beating the L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, and Houston Rockets. Malone won the regular-season MVP, but he couldn’t get his team past the Bulls and Jordan, the Finals MVP. The Bulls won in six games, two of which went down to the final seconds.

In the 1997-98 season, the Jazz were dominant again despite losing John Stockton to a knee injury for nearly 20 games. Again they only lost three games on their way to the Finals, beating the Rockets, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Lakers. Again they lost to the Bulls in six games. Game Six of that Finals series is remembered for Jordan’s game-winning shot in the final seconds. The Bulls won that game, 87-86. The Jazz have not appeared in the NBA Finals since.

2007-08 Season

The roster is new, but the coach, Jerry Sloan, remains the same. The team’s hard-nosed approach to the game has not changed, either.

Stockton and Malone, both retired, have given way to Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. Andrei Kirilenko and sharpshooter Kyle Korver help round out the roster.

After a 54-28 regular season, the Jazz defeated the Houston Rockets, 4-2, in the first round of the playoffs. They lost the conference semifinals in six games to the eventual West champion L.A. Lakers.

2008-09 Outlook

With the nucleus of Olympians Williams and Boozer, along with Kirilenko, the Jazz have high expectations entering the 2008-09 season. They were just a couple of victories away from defeating the Lakers in the playoffs, and in Williams and Boozer they boast two of the NBA’s best young players. If that duo continues to evolve, the Utah Jazz will make noise on the playoffs for years to come.