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Since coming to the NBA in 1974 as an expansion team, the Utah Jazz have a record of 2,005-1,701 and 28 playoff appearances. Numerous Hall of Famers and All-Stars have played for the Jazz in their rich franchise history.
However, the Jazz have zero championships as a franchise. They are one of a few teams in the NBA that hasn't captured a title despite coming close on a few occasions.
The 1996-97 Jazz, led by Karl Malone and John Stockton, were the first team in franchise history to make the NBA Finals. They are widely considered one of the best teams in league history despite not winning it all.
Utah began the '96-97 season 17-3. The Jazz were a force on both sides of the ball, as they were top-10 in both offense and defense. Utah averaged 103.1 points per game, which was good for second in the NBA. The Jazz gave up just 94.3 points, eighth in the league.
Coached by Hall of Famer Jerry Sloan, the Jazz were a disciplined team. Malone averaged 27.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 55.0 percent from the field. He won the regular-season MVP award over Michael Jordan and Grant Hill.
One of the best point guards in NBA history, Stockton put up 14.4 points and 10.5 assists in the regular season. No one in the league could figure out how to stop Malone and Stockton in the pick-and-roll game.
The Jazz finished the season with an impressive record of 64-18. The 64 wins are still the most wins by a Utah team in franchise history. The Jazz were the top seed in the West and the No. 2 seed overall in the 1997 playoffs. Only Jordan and the Bulls (69-13) had a better record than Utah.
The Jazz began the playoffs with a first-round matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. The series was never close, as you'd expect given Utah was the first seed and Los Angeles was the eighth. The Jazz won in three games behind Malone. “The Mailman” averaged 30.7 points and 11.3 rebounds, while Jeff Hornacek put up 17.0 points on 40.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Next up for the Jazz was the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones and Byron Scott. Kobe was only 18 at the time. He averaged 8.8 points in the series, one which the Jazz won in five games. The Lakers simply had no answers for Malone, who averaged 28.6 points and 12.6 rebounds. Utah was headed to the Western Conference Finals, with Malone rolling on offense.
The 1997 Western Conference Finals featured the Jazz taking on a stacked Houston Rockets team which had Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley and Eddie Johnson. The series started off great for the Jazz, who won Games 1 and 2 at home in convincing fashion to take the early 2-0 lead.
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The Rockets, though, would bounce back in Games 3 and 4 at their own house to even up the series at two games apiece. It was now a best of three series. The team that won two games first was going to the NBA Finals.
Malone and Stockton weren't going to let the Jazz's magical season stop under any circumstances. Utah won Game 5 at home after Malone posted 29 points and 14 rebounds. Stockton had a huge 17 points as well. The Jazz were now one win away from the Finals and the team could taste it.
It's safe to say every Utah sports fan remembers where they were on May 29, 1997. That's the night Stockton became an NBA legend. The floor general hit a three-pointer at the buzzer of Game 6 to send the Jazz to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. It is still the biggest shot in Utah history.
Just to get to the Finals, the Jazz had to get through Shaq, Olajuwon, Drexler and Barkley. However, Utah's biggest challenge was waiting for them in the Finals. It was none other than Jordan and the Bulls, the best player and team in the world.
The Bulls won the '96 Finals over the Seattle SuperSonics to cap off their 72-10 season. Now, Jordan and Chicago were looking for their fifth ring of the '90s. The Bulls had home-court advantage in the series and won Games 1 and 2 to take the expected 2-0 series lead. Jordan hit the game-winning mid-range shot in Game 1 at the buzzer. He finished with 31 points. “His Airness” followed that up with 38 points in Game 2.
There's a reason the Jazz won 64 games in the regular season, though. They were an excellent home team.
Utah took Game 3 by 11 points in front of their ruckus crowd. Malone was unstoppable. He had 37 points and 10 rebounds. Game 4 was an ugly contest between the two heavyweights. The Jazz won, but only scored 78 points. The Bulls were a mess all night. Chicago racked up just 73 points and the Finals were now tied at 2-2.
Remember when we said everyone in Utah was going to remember that Stockton shot over the Rockets? Well, what Jordan did in Game 5 of the '97 Finals is going to be talked about around the world forever.
Battling the flu, Jordan poured in 38 points in Game 5 for his signature “Flu Game.” The Bulls won 90-88 to take a 3-2 lead. They wound up winning the championship in Game 6 at home, giving Jordan his fifth title and Finals MVP.
The Jazz and Bulls met again in the '98 Finals. The Bulls won, with Jordan hitting the game-winner in Game 6 in Utah.
Malone and Stockton were never able to win a ring with the Jazz, but they will always be revered in the Salt Lake City.
