The UtahJazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
History
The team was originally the New Orleans Jazz, but due to owner Sam Battistone's unhappiness in New Orleans (and perhaps his wife's Utah roots), moved to Utah in 1979. Under current coach Jerry Sloan, the Jazz were one of the most successful teams throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, winning two Western Conference Titles in 1997 and 1998. The Finalist teams were anchored by the combination of point guard John Stockton and power forward Karl Malone and made the playoffs 20 consecutive seasons (behind only the record Portland Trail Blazers' 21-year playoff streak). Malone and Stockton are generally seen as two of the best players in history at their positions and among the best two-player combinations of all time.
The latest Jazz
The Jazz developed a very deep and well-rounded team during the 2007 season. Boozer mostly avoided injuries (although missed his first All-Star game selection due to a minor leg injury) and Okur, who had developed a reputation as a great clutch shooter, was selected to the All-Star game as well (as an injury replacement). Deron Williams improved considerably, finishing second in the league in assists per game with 9.3 (behind Steve Nash).
During the 2007-08 season, the Jazz ran off a record-tying 19 game home winning streak and improved on the road after a rough December. Despite the offseason controversy and trade talk, Kirilenko elevated his play, improving all stats from the previous season and seeming content with his new role more as a defender and a facilitator as opposed to a scorer. Carlos Boozer again won an All-Star selection, while Deron Williams continued to elevate his play, averaging 13.3 assists per game in March (as opposed to 10.5 for the season as a whole).
Utah faced the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of The 2008 NBA Western Conference Semi-Finals which began on May 4th at Staples Center. It was the first time these two franchises had competed in a post-season series since the 1998 Western Conference Finals.
Notable players
Karl Malone
Two time MVP, second leading scorer in NBA history, when he talks about himself he talks in the third person. Regardless if you like him or not, he is passably the greatest player to ever play the power forward spot in NBA history, he and Stockton lead the Jazz to their only two NBA finals' appearances, and he is probably the most recognized player to ever play for the Jazz.
John Stockton
He and Malone made the Jazz for 18 years from 1985-2003, in that time the lead the team to its only Western Conference finals appearances, its only two NBA finals' appearances, and made Utah one of the consistently best teams of the 90s. Stockton's points per game average don't reach out and grab you, but his assist and steals per game averages do. Stockton is the NBA all-time leader in both categories and one of the 50 greatest NBA players.
Adrian Dantley
He is quite possible the greatest forgotten star of the 80s, while his defense lacked, his scoring was phenomenal. Dantley was a 56% field goal shooter for the Jazz, and averaged over 30 points a game four seasons, a feat no other Jazzman has yet to accomplish, his 29.6 point per game average is a top the Jazz points per game leader board.
Rivals
Over its 28 years in Utah, the Jazz has had many rivals. During the 1990s and in recent years, Utah and the Houston Rockets became heated conference rivals, often meeting in the NBA Playoffs.
In 1985 The Jazz defeated the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs in 5 games. The Rockets dominated the Jazz during postseason play in the mid '90s, beating them in the 1994 Western Conference Finals and 1995 First Round. In 1997 the Jazz finally defeated the Rockets in the Western Conference Finals, advancing to the team's first ever NBA Finals. The victory came after John Stockton hit a game winning three as time expired.
In 1998, the Jazz and Rockets again would meet, this time in the first round. Utah entered that series tied with the best record in the NBA, held the #1 seed and promptly lost game one to the Rockets. After rallying back and winning game two, the Jazz would then go on to lose game three in Houston. Facing elimination - and the possibility of becoming only the second #1 seed in NBA history to lose to an 8th seed - the Jazz overcame a 20 point deficit and beat Houston and sent the series back to Utah for a definitive game five.
The team was originally the New Orleans Jazz, but due to owner Sam Battistone's unhappiness in New Orleans (and perhaps his wife's Utah roots), moved to Utah in 1979. Under current coach Jerry Sloan, the Jazz were one of the most successful teams throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, winning two Western Conference Titles in 1997 and 1998. The Finalist teams were anchored by the combination of point guard John Stockton and power forward Karl Malone and made the playoffs 20 consecutive seasons (behind only the record Portland Trail Blazers' 21-year playoff streak). Malone and Stockton are generally seen as two of the best players in history at their positions and among the best two-player combinations of all time.
The latest Jazz
The Jazz developed a very deep and well-rounded team during the 2007 season. Boozer mostly avoided injuries (although missed his first All-Star game selection due to a minor leg injury) and Okur, who had developed a reputation as a great clutch shooter, was selected to the All-Star game as well (as an injury replacement). Deron Williams improved considerably, finishing second in the league in assists per game with 9.3 (behind Steve Nash).
During the 2007-08 season, the Jazz ran off a record-tying 19 game home winning streak and improved on the road after a rough December. Despite the offseason controversy and trade talk, Kirilenko elevated his play, improving all stats from the previous season and seeming content with his new role more as a defender and a facilitator as opposed to a scorer. Carlos Boozer again won an All-Star selection, while Deron Williams continued to elevate his play, averaging 13.3 assists per game in March (as opposed to 10.5 for the season as a whole).
Utah faced the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of The 2008 NBA Western Conference Semi-Finals which began on May 4th at Staples Center. It was the first time these two franchises had competed in a post-season series since the 1998 Western Conference Finals.
Notable players
Karl Malone
Two time MVP, second leading scorer in NBA history, when he talks about himself he talks in the third person. Regardless if you like him or not, he is passably the greatest player to ever play the power forward spot in NBA history, he and Stockton lead the Jazz to their only two NBA finals' appearances, and he is probably the most recognized player to ever play for the Jazz.
John Stockton
He and Malone made the Jazz for 18 years from 1985-2003, in that time the lead the team to its only Western Conference finals appearances, its only two NBA finals' appearances, and made Utah one of the consistently best teams of the 90s. Stockton's points per game average don't reach out and grab you, but his assist and steals per game averages do. Stockton is the NBA all-time leader in both categories and one of the 50 greatest NBA players.
Adrian Dantley
He is quite possible the greatest forgotten star of the 80s, while his defense lacked, his scoring was phenomenal. Dantley was a 56% field goal shooter for the Jazz, and averaged over 30 points a game four seasons, a feat no other Jazzman has yet to accomplish, his 29.6 point per game average is a top the Jazz points per game leader board.
Rivals
Over its 28 years in Utah, the Jazz has had many rivals. During the 1990s and in recent years, Utah and the Houston Rockets became heated conference rivals, often meeting in the NBA Playoffs.
In 1985 The Jazz defeated the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs in 5 games. The Rockets dominated the Jazz during postseason play in the mid '90s, beating them in the 1994 Western Conference Finals and 1995 First Round. In 1997 the Jazz finally defeated the Rockets in the Western Conference Finals, advancing to the team's first ever NBA Finals. The victory came after John Stockton hit a game winning three as time expired.
In 1998, the Jazz and Rockets again would meet, this time in the first round. Utah entered that series tied with the best record in the NBA, held the #1 seed and promptly lost game one to the Rockets. After rallying back and winning game two, the Jazz would then go on to lose game three in Houston. Facing elimination - and the possibility of becoming only the second #1 seed in NBA history to lose to an 8th seed - the Jazz overcame a 20 point deficit and beat Houston and sent the series back to Utah for a definitive game five.
No comments:
Post a Comment