Utah Jazz (1979-Present)

Historical Moments:
1979/80: Utah had been home to one of the more successful teams in the ABA known as the Stars who won the Championship in 1971 and made it to the Finals again in 1974 before folding a year later. Despite the success on the court many questioned if a NBA team could be successful in Utah as the Jazz left the Bayou for Salt Lake. Despite no history of Jazz music in Utah the name was kept in a cost saving move. After losing their first game on the road to the Portland Trailblazers the Jazz were beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks in their first game at the Salt Palace on October 15th. The Jazz would get their first win in Utah a week later when they beat the San Diego Clippers 110-109. However, the wins would not come often for the Jazz as they finished in last place in the Midwest Division with a 24-58 record. However, an important step was taken to improve the team as Frank Layden is hired as the team's new General Manager. One of Layden's first moves was to acquire high scoring forward Adrian Dantley from the Los Angeles Lakers who finished 3rd in the league in scoring with 28.0 ppg.

1980/81: The Jazz selected Darrell Griffith with the second overall pick in the NBA draft together with Adrian Dantley the duo would give the Jazz a solid 1-2 scoring punch as Dantley won the league scoring title with 30.7 ppg, and Griffith took Rookie of the Year honors with 20.6 ppg. However the Jazz still struggled finishing in 5th place with a 28-54 record.

1981/82: Adrian Dantley continued to carry the Jazz with 30.3 ppg good enough for 3rd in the NBA. However the Jazz continued to struggle as GM Frank Layden took over as Coach, during a miserable last place season that included an 18-game losing streak on the way to a 25-57 record.

1982/83: With the 3rd pick in the NBA Draft the Jazz select Dominique Wilkins who expressed displeasure with playing in Utah as he was traded before ever playing a game to the Atlanta Hawks for John Drew, Freeman Williams, and cash. Adrian Dantley continued to be the best player for the Jazz as he scored 57 points in an early season game against the Chicago Bulls. However, just 22 games into the season Dantley would be lost for the season with torn ligaments in his wrist. Without Dantley the Jazz would struggle again finishing in 5th place with a 30-52 record.

1983/84: The Jazz play several games in Las Vegas as they finally have some success on the court making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history while winning the Midwest Division Title with a 45-37 record. Leading the way again is Adrian Dantley who captures the NBA scoring title with 30.6 ppg. However, Dantley had some help this time as Mark Eaton led the NBA in blocked shots, Rickey Green led the league in steals, and Darrell Griffith led the league in 3-point shooting. In their first playoff series the Jazz would have to rally to win their last 2 games to beat the Denver Nuggets in a hard fought 5-game series. However, in the 2nd round there would be no comeback as the Jazz are beaten by the Phoenix Suns in 6 games.

1984/85: In the NBA draft the Jazz select little-known 6-1 guard John Stockton of Gonzaga University. Though few knew it at the time it would be one of the best mid first round finds in the history of the NBA draft. However, while Stockton developed the Jazz struggled as Adrian Dantley staged a prolong holdout and John Drew was suspended. However the Jazz would still sneak into the playoffs with a 41-41 record. In the playoffs the Jazz would stun the Houston Rockets in 5 games despite losing Defensive Player of the Year Mark Eaton to knee injury. However, in the second round the Jazz would be blitzed by the Denver Nuggets in 5 games.

1985/86: The Jazz make another blockbuster selection in the draft picking Karl Malone out of Louisiana Tech with the 13th overall pick. Malone and Stockton who was selected a year earlier would become one of the most dynamics duos in NBA history. However, Adrian Dantley was still the star of the team and he had another solid season finishing 2nd in scoring with 29.8 ppg as the Jazz made the playoffs for the 3rd straight year with a 42-40 record. However in the playoffs the Jazz would make a quick exit as they are beaten by the Dallas s Mavericks in 4 games.

1986/87: The Jazz decided to retool shipping Adrian Dantley to the Detroit Pistons for Kelly Tripucka and Kent Benson. The move allowed Karl Malone to take over the team lead in scoring with 21.7 ppg. In the playoffs the Jazz appeared to be well on their way to the 2nd round as they took the first 2 games against the Golden State Warriors. However, the Warriors would storm back to win the next 3 games and the series.

1987/88: The young Jazz struggled in the second half but finished the season on as strong not posting an 11-5 record in March and winning their final 5 games to finish with a 47-35 record good enough for 3rd place and their 5th straight playoff appearance, as John Stockton led the league in assists for the first time in his career setting a single season record with 1,128 assists. In the playoffs the Jazz would overcome a Game 1 loss to beat the Portland Trailblazers in 4 games. In the 2nd round the Jazz would face the Los Angels Lakers who were expected to run through the NBA on their way to a 2nd straight title. However the young Jazz gave the Lakers a scare taking the series all the way to a 7th game before bowing out with a 109-98 loss.

1988/89: Just 17 games into the season Coach Frank Layden would step down to take over the position of club president. Taking his place on the bench would be assistant Coach Jerry Sloan. Despite the change the Jazz continued to improve as "The Mailman" Karl Malone delivered the Jazz a division title with a 51-31 record by finishing 2nd in scoring with 29.1 ppg. However, in the playoffs the Jazz would be stunned by the Golden State Warriors as they were swept in 3 straight games.

1989/90: Karl Malone continues to certify himself as one of the top players in the game as he finishes 2nd in scoring again with 31.0 ppg, as John Stockton leads the league in assist for the 3rd year in row. The duo would lead the Jazz to an impressive 55-27 record, which was good enough for 2nd place. However in the playoffs the Jazz would have another let down as they are beaten by the Phoenix Suns in 5 games.

1990/91: The Jazz continue to play sweet music in the regular season falling 1 game short of the division title with another stellar record of 54-28 as Karl Malone finishes second in scoring and John Stockton leads the league in assists again. In the playoffs the Jazz would make get a measure of revenge by beating the Phoenix Suns in 4 games. However in the 2nd round the Jazz would be tripped up by the Portland Trailblazers in 5 games.

1991/92: The Jazz reaped the awards of 8 straight playoff appearances and a growing fan base by getting a brand new state of the art arena known as the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake. The Jazz would get off to a slow start as they posted a 9-7 record in November. However, the Jazz would get hot and would capture the Midwest Division by 8 games with a 55-27 record, as Karl Malone finished 2nd in scoring and John Stockton led the league in assist for the 5th straight season. In the playoffs the Jazz would shake off a pesky challenge from the Los Angeles Clippers in a 5-game series before dominating the Seattle Supersonics in 5 games to reach their first conference final in franchise history. In the Western Conference Finals against the Portland Trailblazers the Jazz would drop their first 2 games on the road. However, in Utah it would be a different story as the Jazz won the next 2 games at the Delta Center to even the series. After dropping Game 5 back in Portland the Jazz needed another home win to force a 7th game. However the Jazz seemed to run out of gas as they fell by 8 points. Following the season Malone and Stockton would be part of the Dream Team that captured the gold medal in the Olympics played in Barcelona, Spain.

1992/93: The NBA's best players came to Utah as the Delta Center hosted the All-Star Game, as the Jazz dynamic duo of John Stockton and Karl Malone stole the show sharing MVP honors as the Western Conference won in overtime. Malone and Stockton continued to be among the best players in the NBA. However, playing without Mark Eaton for most of the early part of the season the Jazz slipped in the standings finishing in 3rd place with a 47-35 record as the Jazz failed to win 50 games for the first time in 5 years. In the playoffs the Jazz would get off to a solid start as they were on the verge of upsetting the Seattle Supersonics by taking 2 of the first 3 games .However the Sonics would recover and win the series in 5 games. Following the season Mark Eaton would announce his retirement.

1993/94: John Stockton leads the league in assists for the 7th straight season 1 short of the record held by Bob Cousey as Karl Malone starts to climb the list in all-time points scored topping the 19,000 mark. However, the biggest move came at the trade deadline as the Jazz acquired Jeff Hornacek from the Philadelphia 76ers for Jeff Malone. Upon landing Hornacek the Jazz became the hottest team in the NBA winning 10 straight in February and 8 of the last 9 games to close the season with a 53-29 record that landed them 3rd in the Midwest Division. In the playoffs the Jazz continued to roll as they beat the San Antonio Spurs in 4 games, winning 3 straight after dropping Game 1. In the 2nd round the Jazz continued to roll as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead over the Denver Nuggets. However, the Nuggets would rally and force a 7th game. The Jazz would win Game 7 by a score of 91-81 to make the Conference Finals. However, the Nuggets near comeback would clearly affect the Jazz as they were easily beaten by the Houston Rockets in 5 games.

1994/95: In a year of Milestones John Stockton becomes the NBA's all-time assist leader passing Magic Johnson with 9,921 on his way to a record tying 8th straight assist title. Meanwhile Karl Malone and Tom Chambers each passed the 20,000-point mark in their career, as the Jazz recorded a franchise best record of 60-22 while finishing 2nd in the Midwest Division. However, the Jazz would be stunned in the playoffs by the Houston Rockets in 5 games blowing a 2-1 series lead to the defending NBA Champions who were blasting off to a second straight title.

1995/96: John Stockton has another record breaking season leading the NBA in assists for the record 9th season while breaking Maurice Cheeks career record in steals. Meanwhile Karl Malone moves in 9th place in all-time scoring as the Jazz finish in 2nd place again with a solid record of 55-27. In the Jazz got off to a fast start by beating the Portland Trailblazers in the first 2 games at home. However, the Blazers would win both games in Portland to force a 5th game. Faced with another playoff collapse the Jazz issued a statement beating the Blazers by an impressive 102-64 score. In the 2nd Round the Jazz continued to play strong basketball as they beat the Midwest Division Champion San Antonio Spurs in 6 games. In the Western Conference Finals for the 3rd time in 5 years the Jazz faced the Seattle Supersonics. Once again it looked as if the Jazz would bow out of the Conference Finals without a fight as they fell behind 3 games to 1. However, the Jazz would rally and force a 7th game. In Game 7 at Seattle the Jazz would give the Sonics all they could handle before falling by 4 points.

1996/97: Although keeping the name Jazz the team gets a logo that more closely reflects the sate of Utah featuring purple mountains, and sky blue in the script. The new colors seemed to agree with the Jazz as they dominated the Western Conference with a franchise best record of 64-18, as Karl Malone took home MVP honors. In the playoffs the Jazz would get off to a flying start dominating the Los Angeles Clipper sin 3 straight games. In the second round the Jazz continued to roll easily knocking off the Los Angeles Lakers in 5 games. In the Conference Finals the Jazz got off to a fast start taking the first 2 games against the Houston Rockets. However, as the series shifted to Houston the Rockets evened the series at 2 games apiece as Eddie Johnson hit a dramatic buzzer beater to win Game 4. Back home for Game 5 the Jazz took a 3-2 series lead with a hard fought win at home. Game 6 in Houston would be another battle and appeared to be heading for overtime as John Stockton nailed a 3-point buzzer beater tat launched the Jazz into the NBA Finals. In the NBA Finals the Jazz faced the Chicago Bulls losing the first 2 games at home. However, the Jazz upon arriving at the Delta Center continued their home court dominance by taking Game 3 and 4 to even the series. With a chance to take a series lead in Game 5 the Jazz were beaten by a heroic performance by Michael Jordan playing with a flu like ailment 90-88 Back in Chicago for Game 6 the Jazz battled the Bulls tightly before falling b y 4 points as the Bulls won their 5th title in 7 years.

1997/98: As the season started the Jazz were forced to play without their playmaker John Stockton who had off-season knee injury. Without Stockton the Jazz would limp along with a record of 11-7. However, upon his return the Jazz reestablished themselves as the power in the West with a league best record of 62-20. In the playoffs the Jazz were tested early by the Houston Rockets who jumped out to a 2-1 series lead. However, the Jazz facing elimination would rally with 2 strong performances to win the series in 5 games. In the second round the Jazz would find things easier as they beat the San Antonio Spurs n 5 games for their 3rd trip to the Western Finals in a row. The Jazz continued to roll in the Conference Finals as they swept the Los Angeles Lakers in 4 straight games to set up a rematch with Chicago Bulls. With home court advantage the Jazz were favored by many to end the Bulls dynasty, as they took Game 1 at the Delta Center. However the Bulls would rally to take Game 2 and jumped out to a 3-1 series lead by taking the first 2 games in Chicago. Facing elimination the Jazz edged the Bulls by 2 points to send the series back to Utah. In Game 6 the Jazz had a late lead, but Michael Jordan playing in his final game with the Bulls single handily led the Bulls to 87-86 win hitting the game winning shot with 2 seconds left.

1998/99: Hoping a 3rd time would be a charm, as the Chicago Bulls were broken up the start of the Jazz season was delayed by a 4-month lockout that wiped out half of the season. When the season finally started the Jazz got off to a flying start winning their first 6 games on the way to a 19-4 start. The Jazz would struggle a bit down the stretch as they lost their grip on first place. Karl Malone would win his 2nd MVP in 3 years as the Jazz posted a league best record of 37-13. However, the Jazz record was tied by the San Antonio Spurs who won the division by a tiebreaker. In the playoffs the Jazz were given a scare by the upstart Sacramento Kings who had a 2-1 series lead and had the Jazz on the edge of elimination in Game 4. However, the Jazz would rally to win the game in Sacramento by 1 point to force a decisive 5th game at home. The Jazz would win Game 5, but their struggle would continue into the 2nd round as they are beaten by the Portland Trailblazers in 6 games.

1999/00: The Jazz who now were the oldest team in the NBA still led by John Stockton and Karl Malone recaptured the Midwest Division with a solid record of 55-27. In the playoffs the Jazz got of to a quick start by beating the Seattle Supersonics in the first 2 games at home. However as the series shifted to Seattle the Sonics rallied to tie the game and force a 5th game. In Game 5 back at the Delta Center the Jazz held off the Sonics by 3 points to advance to the second round. In the second round the jazz would run out of gas as they fell behind 3-0 to the Portland Trailblazers before falling in 5 games.

2000/01: After 2 straight second round exits the Jazz decided to retool as Jeff Hornacek retired and Howard Eisley was dealt away in a 3-team deal that saw Donyell Marshall come to the Jazz. In addition the Jazz signed veteran free agents Danny Manning and John Starks along with former Jazz David Benoit as well as welcoming 19-year-old DeShawn Stevenson, their first round pick in the 2000 NBA Draft and first ever high school player to the club. The Jazz remained one of the strongest teams in the NBA posting a solid 53-29 record while finishing in 2nd place. Along the way John Stockton sets a record for most games played with one team and Karl Malone moves into 2nd place on the all-time scoring list with 31,420 points. In the playoffs the Jazz would get off to a solid start taking a 2-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks. However, the Mavs would rally to force a 5th game by winning the next 2 games in Dallas. Back in Utah for Game 5 the Jazz would be stunned by the upstart Mavericks who ended the Jazz season with a dramatic 84-83 win.

2001/02: John Stockton continues to set new standards with 15,000 career assists and 3,000 career steals, as Karl Malone scored his 34,000th career point. However the Jazz begin to show their age as they finished in 4th place with a 44-38 record, making the playoffs for the 18th straight season as the 8th seed. In the playoffs the Jazz would give the Sacramento Kings all they could handle before losing in 4 games. The Jazz 3 losses came by a combined total of 11 points.

2002/03: In a season that marked the end of the Stockton and Malone era the Jazz remained a strong playoff contender posting a solid 47-35 record. However, in the competitive Western Conference it was only good for the 7the seed, which meant another playoff match-up with the Sacramento Kings. The aging Jazz were clearly overmatched as they ended up winning just once in 5 games. However, both John Stockton and Karl Malone were given long standing ovations as they walked off the court at the Delta Center following a Game 4 loss. They would also be given a standing ovation by fans in Sacramento as Game 5 came to a close. Following the playoff John Stockton would announce his retirement; ending his career with the all-time NBA records in assists with 15,806 and steals at 3,265. However the most amazing stat surrounding Stockton was his durability as he missed just 22 games in 20 seasons. With Stockton's retirement and the Jazz in a rebuilding mode, Karl Malone signed with the Los Angeles Lakers to peruse the Championship that eluded him in his 19 years in Utah. In his career with the Jazz Malone scored 36,374 points good enough for 2nd all time in the NBA, as he needs just 2,013 to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record.

2003/04: Without their dynamic duo of Stockton and Malone not much was expected out of the Jazz entering the season. However with new stars like Andrei Kirilenko picking up the slack, the Jazz were competitive all season. With the exception a slump in January and February the Jazz remained at or above .500 all season as they battled the Denver Nuggets for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Jazz would end up falling just 1 game short of their 21st straight appearance in the playoffs as they actually ended up in last place in the completive Midwest Division, with a 42-40 record, that considering the circumstances had to be considered a successful season.

2004/05: Hoping to boost their offense the Jazz signed Free Agent Carlos Boozer away from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boozer was as good as the Jazz hoped as he led the team in scoring and rebounding in each of the first 3 games as the Jazz won 6 of their first 7. However, when a knee injury forced Andrei Kirilenko to the sidelines Boozer struggled and so did the Jazz, as they posted a 3-12 record in December. Hoping to revitalize the team and get a stronger in the middle, the Jazz traded Carlos Arroyo to the Detroit Pistons for 6-11 Center Mehmet Okur. The move would not save the season as by the time Kirilenko returned the Jazz were in last place, where they would finish with a 26-56 record.

2005/06: The Jazz continued to retool before the season as they reacquired Greg Ostertag, as Raja Bell left to sign with the Phoenix Suns. When the season returned it was Carlos Boozer who was missed the most as he sat out the first 49 games recovering from foot and hamstring injuries. Without Boozer, the Jazz would get off to a slow start posting an 11-16 record through 27 games. When Boozer returned the Jazz still struggled as players expressed unhappiness with Jerry Sloan's coaching style. Despite all the problems with Sloan and the players, and injuries at the end of the season the Jazz were one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference as they won seven of their last ten games. However, they would fall three games short of a playoff spot as they posted a record of 41-41.

2006/07: After just missing out on a playoff spot the Jazz entered the season, with a deep well rounded team that came flying out of the starting gate, winning 12 of their first 13 games. One player who emerged early was Deron Williams who became the playmaker the Jazz had been looking for since John Stockton retired, finishing second in assist per game at 9.3. Another play the Jazz got to contribute was Rookie Paul Millsap who helped fill the void when Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur missed ten games due to injury, as the Jazz did not miss a beat going 8-2 over the stretch. One player who did not live up to expectations was Andrei Kirilenko, who had a poor season averaging career lows in points (8.3) and rebounds (4.7), as he feuded with Coach Jerry Sloan, who greatly reduced his playing time. Despite struggling down the stretch the Jazz would hold on to win the Northwest Division with a record 51-31. Despite winning the division the Jazz would not have home court in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets, as they started the playoffs losing their first two games on the road. As the series shifted to Utah, the Jazz were revitalized shutting down the Rockets in Game 3, as Carlos Boozer had a key double-double in an 81-67 win. In Game 4 it was Deron Williams who played the role of hero scoring 25 points; including 11 in a key 3rd Quarter run as the Jazz evened the series with a solid 98-85. However, Houston continued to be a problem for the Jazz who fell behind in the series once again with a 96-92 loss in Game 5. The series continued to be one of home cooking, as Andrei Kirilenko played a key role defensively shutting down Tracy McGrady, while blocking five shots in a 94-82 win that forced a decisive seventh game. With Game 7 in Houston, the Jazz were considered an underdog, as the road to the Conference Finals cleared with the Number 8 seeded Golden State Warriors stunning the Dallas Mavericks who finished with the best record in the NBA. However, behind Carlos Boozer who had 35 points and 14 rebounds the Jazz were able to reverse the home and home trend stunning the Rockets 103-99 to advance to a second round match up against the Warriors. Game 1 of the second round would be a shoot out from start to finish as the 1st Quarter saw a total of 72 points. Fortunately for the Utah they had more bullets as Deron Williams scored 31 points as the Jazz took the opener 116-112. Game 2 would be another nail biter, with an unlikely hero for the Jazz, as Derek Fisher who was in New York as his infant daughter underwent surgery to remove Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the retina, the light-sensing part of the eye. Fisher did not arrive at Energy Solutions Arena until the 3rd Quarter, and it was not a moment too soon, as he scored five key points in overtime as the Jazz won 127-117. After losing 115-101 in Game 3, the Jazz relied on Carlos Boozer for another road win as they took a 3-1 series lead with a solid 115-101 win in Game 4, as they pulled away with 40-point 4th Quarter. The Jazz would go on to close out the series with a 100-87 win back at home in Game 5. In the Western Conference Finals the Jazz faced the San Antonio Spurs, who were overwhelming favorites. After losing the first two games on the road, the Jazz were once again reenergized at home winning 109-83, with another big game from Deron Williams. However, the Spurs would prove to be too strong, as they shut down the Jazz 91-79 in Game 4, as they went on to take the series in five games, on the way to their fourth NBA Championship.

2007/08: After reaching the Western Conference Finals, the Jazz were again considered part of the NBA's elite when the season began. To make the team more well rounded the Jazz Gordan Giricek to the Philadelphia 76ers for three point specialist Kyle Korver. After a solid start in which the Jazz posted a 12-5 record in November, came a disappointing December, in which the Jazz lost six in a row and entered the New Year with a mediocre 17-16 record. With the arrival of 2008 the Jazz began to play the type of basketball that got them to the Conference Finals, as they ran off a 19-game home winning streak, and moved to the top of the Northwest Division. Home is where the heart is for the Jazz; as they posted a league best 37-4 record at the Energy Solutions Arena. However, a less then stellar 17-24 record on the road kept them from getting a better seed as they again won their division with a record of 54-28. However, they would not have home court in the first round, as they face the Houston Rockets in the playoffs again. Despite their road struggles, the Jazz got off to a strong start winning Game 1 in Houston 93-82, as Deron Williams had a solid game with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Jazz would also capture Game 2 on the road 90-84 as Mehmet Okur had 16 points and 16 rebounds. Looking to take a stranglehold in Utah, the Jazz would be stunned in Game 3, losing 94-92. The Jazz would quickly rebound, taking a 3-1 series lead with an 86-82 win, as Okur saved the day hitting two clutch free throws in the final seconds, after posting 18 rebounds. After an ugly 95-69 loss in Houston, the Jazz would close out the Rockets in six games, winning the finale 113-91, powered by a strong third quarter in which they outscored the Rockets 27-11. In the second round the Jazz would face the top seeded Los Angeles Lakers. Here is where the Jazz road woes would reappear as they dropped the first two games in Los Angeles. Coming home to Utah in Game 3, the Jazz would be reenergized as Carlos Boozer scored 27 points with 20 rebounds to lead the Jazz to a 104-99 win. With Deron Williams scoring 29 points with 14 rebounds the Jazz would even the series with a clutch 123-115 win in overtime. However, in Game 5 back in LA, the Jazz would again stumble on the road losing 111-104. Trailing by 16 points entering the fourth quarter in Game 6 the Jazz would make a furious comeback. However, needing a three pointer at the buzzer, the Jazz would fall short as their season ended with a 108-105 loss.