Utah Jazz

Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz logo
Conference Western Conference
Division Northwest Division
Founded 1974
History New Orleans Jazz
1974–1979
Utah Jazz
1979–present
Arena EnergySolutions Arena
City Salt Lake City, Utah
Team colors Navy, Gold, Dark Green, Gray, White
                        
Owner(s) Estate of Larry H. Miller (Deceased)
General manager Kevin O'Connor
Head coach Jerry Sloan
D-League affiliate Utah Flash
Championships 0
Conference titles 2 (1997, 1998)
Division titles 8 (1984, 1989, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2007, 2008)
Official website utahjazz.com
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Home jersey
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Team colours
Home
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Away jersey
Team colours
Away

The Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The franchise began in 1974 as the New Orleans Jazz, based in New Orleans, Louisiana, but the team moved to Utah in 1979 after just five seasons. The Jazz were one of the most unsuccessful teams in the league in their early years, and it would be 10 years before they made a playoff appearance (in 1984). They would not miss the playoffs again until 2004. During the late 1980s, John Stockton and Karl Malone arose as the franchise players for the team, and formed one of the most famed point guard–power forward duos in NBA history. Led by coach Jerry Sloan, who took over for Frank Layden in 1988, they became one of the powerhouse teams of the 1990s, culminating in two NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998, where they lost both times to the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan. Both Stockton and Malone moved on in 2003. After missing the playoffs for three seasons the Jazz have returned to prominence under the on-court leadership of the franchise point guard Deron Williams. As of 2010, the Jazz are the only team in the Big Four sports leagues located in the state of Utah.

Contents

Franchise history

Early years in New Orleans

In 1974, the Jazz franchise began in New Orleans, Louisiana. The team's first major move was to trade for star player Pete Maravich from the Atlanta Hawks for two first-round draft picks, three second-round picks, and one third-round pick over the next three years.[1] Although he was considered one of the most entertaining players in the league and won the scoring championship in 1977 with 31.1 points per game, the record while in New Orleans was 39–43 in the 1977–78 season. Maravich struggled with knee injuries from that season onward.

Venue issues were a continual problem for the team while in New Orleans. In the Jazz's first season, when they played in the Loyola University Fieldhouse, the basketball court was raised so high that the players' association made the team put a net around the court so that players wouldn't fall off of the court and into the stands.[2] Later, they played games in the Louisiana Superdome, but things were no better; due to high demand for the stadium, onerous lease terms and Maravich's constant knee problems. For instance, during the 1977–78 season, the Jazz were in the midst of a playoff drive when Mardi Gras festivities forced the team on a month-long road trip. Even if they had made the playoffs that year, they would have been forced to find another place to play in the event of a conflict.[1][3]

On their way out of the Big Easy, the Jazz were dealt one final humiliation when the Los Angeles Lakers selected Magic Johnson with the first overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. The pick would have belonged to the Jazz had they not traded it to Los Angeles to acquire Gail Goodrich.

1979–84: Move to Utah; Foundation for success is built

By 1979, the Jazz were sinking under the weight of $5 million in losses over five years. Original owner Sam Battistone decided to move to Salt Lake City, even though it was a smaller market than New Orleans at the time. However, Salt Lake City had proven it could support a pro basketball team when it played host to the American Basketball Association's Utah Stars from 1970 to 1976. The Stars had been extremely popular in the city, but their financial picture inexplicably collapsed in their last two seasons, and they folded in December 1975 after playing only 16 games of the ABA's final season. Although Salt Lake City was not known for its jazz culture, the team decided to keep the name, as well as the team's original colors of green, purple and gold (the colors of Mardi Gras). Some were offended by the Jazz keeping the franchise name after moving from New Orleans, citing it as a metaphor for the theft of Jazz from its cultural roots.

The Jazz's attendance actually declined slightly after the team's move from New Orleans to Utah, due to a late approval for the move (June 1979) and poor marketing in the Salt Lake City area.[4][5] The team's management made the first of several moves in 1979, bringing high-scoring forward Adrian Dantley to Utah in exchange for Spencer Haywood. Dantley averaged 28.0 points per game during the 1979-80 season, allowing the team to waive Pete Maravich early in the year. The team struggled to a 24-58 mark, but was rewarded with the 2nd overall pick in the 1980 NBA Draft, which they used to pick Darrell Griffith of Louisville, another piece of the rebuilding puzzle.

During the 1980-81 NBA Season, the club struggled financially as well as on the court. Despite having perennial All-Star Dantley, a 20 point per game scorer in Griffith; as well as emerging point guard Rickey Green, the Jazz were unable to produce a winning team, going 28-54. Tom Nissalke departed as coach after the team started the 1981-82 season with an 8-12 record, and General Manager Frank Layden replaced him. Layden's coaching wasn't an improvement initially, as the Jazz went 17-45 the rest of the year to finish 25-57.

The 1982 NBA Draft saw the Jazz pick forward Dominique Wilkins, who was reluctant to play for them. Combined with the cash-strapped ownership, this produced another trade to improve cash flow - Atlanta gave up guards John Drew and Freeman Williams, plus $1 million in cash, for the rights to Wilkins. For the 1982-83 season, the new additions, mixed with the mainstays of Dantley and Griffith, began to show improvement. And a rookie 7'4" center, Mark Eaton, began manning the post. The team finished 30-52, still out of the playoffs, but an improvement over recent years.

1983-84 opened as a season of uncertainty. The team was losing money, and management was crafting stunts, such as playing games in Las Vegas, to help the team be more profitable.[6] The team was rumored to be moving from Utah also, due to the small market and ownership's struggles financially. However, the team's fortunes on the court continued to improve, with Adrian Dantley and rookieThurl Bailey at the forward positions, Mark Eaton & Jeff Wilkins jointly manning the post, and Rickey Green with Darrell Griffith at the guards, with John Drew providing 17 points per night off the bench. The team went 45-37 and won their first division title in team history, advancing to the NBA Playoffs, where they defeated the Denver Nuggets 3 games to 2 in the first round, and advanced to play the Phoenix Suns in the second round. Despite having homecourt, the Jazz lost to the more experienced Suns team 4 games to 2. The suddenly active Jazz fans were not happy a month later, when the team picked an unknown point guard in the 1st round of the NBA Draft, John Stockton of Gonzaga. The Jazz fans on hand for the draft party booed the selection.[7]

1984-85 to 1987-88: Stockton to Malone is born

The 1984-85 season saw the emergence of Mark Eaton as a defensive force. averaging 5.56 blocks per game along with 9.7 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. On the downside, John Drew played only 19 games on the season, depriving the team of their high-scoring sixth man. Despite that, the Jazz returned to the playoffs, advancing to the second round, but falling to a superior team in the Denver Nuggets. The team's perennial financial woes and instability were somewhat stabilized in April 1985, when Larry H. Miller bought 50% of the team for $9.5 million, and became a co-owner with Sam Battistone, who had been seeking to move the team.

In the 1985 NBA Draft the team added Karl Malone from Louisiana Tech, a 6'9" 250 pound power forward. Malone made an immediate impact in the 1985-86 Season, averaging 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per outing, supplementing Dantley in the frontcourt. However, starting guard Darrell Griffith missed the entire season with a stress fracture, and the team hovered around the .500 mark most of the year. In the 1985-86 postseason, the Jazz faltered in the first round against the Dallas Mavericks, losing the series 3-1. During the offseason in 1986, Miller turned down an offer to sell the team to Minnesota investors, who would have moved the team to Minneapolis. Instead he purchased the remaining 50% of the team from Sam Battistone, and kept the team in Utah.[8]

The 1986-87 season was one of change. Adrian Dantley, the team's star player that had carried them through the early years in Utah, was traded to Detroit for Kelly Tripucka. Darrell Griffith, returned from injuries that caused him to miss the 1985-86 season, was losing playing time to young guard Bobby Hansen. John Stockton was warranting more time behind, and in front of, Rickey Green. A 44-38 season ended in the first round of the playoffs, which led to the next position change that would help the team emerge from mediocrity.

By the 1987-88 Season, John Stockton had supplanted Rickey Green as the starting point guard, and Karl Malone was establishing himself as the best power forward in the league. That year, the team finished 47-35 and defeated Portland, 3-1, in the first round, earning them a second round matchup with the defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. The Jazz surprised the Lakers by winning Game 2 in LA, 101-97, and took the lead in the series 2-1 with a Game 3 win. They lost Games 4 and 5 but fought back to demolish the Lakers in Game 6, 108-80. The end of the series saw the Lakers win a hard-fought Game 7, 109-98. But the Jazz had served notice that they were no longer the laughingstock team of their early days.

1988–89 to 1990–1991 playoff struggles

During the 1988–89 season, the Jazz won 51 games and the Midwest Division title as the team grew better overall. Malone and Stockton, as well as Mark Eaton, were All-Stars. Eaton won Defensive Player of the Year for the second time, and it appeared they were ready to take the next step in the post-season. However, in one of the more surprising playoff upsets, the underdog Golden State Warriors defeated them 3–0 in the first round.

In the following year, 1989–90, the Jazz made some changes, with Bobby Hansen supplanting Darrell Griffith as the starting guard alongside Stockton. Also Thurl Bailey, relied on for 19 points per game the previous year, had his role reduced somewhat as rookie forward–guard Blue Edwards played a prominent role in the front court. Mike Brown, a backup forward–center, spelled Mark Eaton more often. The results were the best win–loss mark in team history, with the Jazz going 55–27 and finishing second in the division to the San Antonio Spurs (56–26). Karl Malone had his best season statistically, averaging 31.0 points and 11.1 rebounds. John Stockton averaged 17.2 points and 14.5 assists per outing, both career highs, with the assist total and average leading the NBA that year. In the playoffs, they ran into the Phoenix Suns, led by All-Stars Tom Chambers and Kevin Johnson. Phoenix defeated the Jazz 3–2 in a tough first-round series. Once again, the Jazz were left with questions as to how they could do so well in the regular season but fail to advance in the playoffs.

For the 1990–91 season, the Jazz made another move to improve the team. To that end, a three-way trade was made, with Jeff Malone coming to Utah from the Washington Bullets, Eric Leckner and Bobby Hansen going from Utah to the Sacramento Kings, and Pervis Ellison going from Sacramento to Washington. Hansen had been the team's starting guard previously, but not viewed as enough of a scorer to keep defenses from focusing solely on Malone and Stockton. The change brought immediate dividends, as the Jazz rolled to a 22–10 start to the 1990-91 season, with Jeff Malone averaging 18.6 points that year, giving the Jazz three scoring options (Karl Malone, Jeff Malone, and John Stockton – 64.8 of the team's 104 points per game). The Jazz finished 54-28, 2nd in the division to San Antonio by 1 game, for the second year in a row. In the playoffs, they met the Phoenix Suns for the second year in a row, but this time the Jazz were ready. Game 1 was a blowout in Utah's favor, on Phoenix's home floor, 129-90, setting the tone for the Jazz, who eliminated the Suns 3-1 in the series, earning a second round match-up with the Portland Trail Blazers, the defending Western Conference champions. The Jazz played well, keeping close in most of the games, but ultimately lost the series 4–1 to the deeper and more experienced Blazers.

1991-92 to 1995-96, Playoff Ups and Downs

The 1991-92 season proved to be the most successful to date for the Jazz. They moved to a newly built home, the Delta Center, a state-of-the art arena that seated 19,911 fans. This was a huge improvement over the Salt Palace, which seated just over 12,000 and lacked luxury suites and retail space. Early in the year, a trade brought Tyrone Corbin, a tough, defensive forward, from Minnesota in exchange for fan-favorite Thurl Bailey.

The Jazz went 55-27 over the season, winning the Midwest Division Title for the first time since 1989, and looked to advance farther in the postseason. In the playoffs, the Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 3-2 in the first round, then took care of the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round, 4-1, advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time, where they faced the Portland Trail Blazers. Once again, Portland proved to be the superior team, defeating the Jazz 4-2 in the series and denying them a trip to the NBA Finals.

The 1992-93 season proved to be a disappointment compared with the years before, with a 47-35 mark and 3rd place in the division. The center position, manned capably by Mark Eaton for most of the past decade, became suspect as Eaton struggled with injuries and age. The Jazz had a disappointing run in the playoffs as well, losing to the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round, 3-2. During the postseason, the team addressed the center position by acquiring 7'0" Felton Spencer from Minnesota, in return for backup center Mike Brown.

During the 1993–94 season, the Jazz traded Jeff Malone to the Philadelphia 76ers for shooting guard Jeff Hornacek. Hornacek meshed well with Stockton, and the Jazz improved to a 53–29 record for the year. In the playoffs, they faced San Antonio in the first round, shutting down NBA scoring leader David Robinson in the series. Robinson had averaged 29.8 points on 50% shooting during the regular season, numbers that dropped to 20.0 and 41% against Utah.[9] The Jazz then fought off a determined, upstart Denver Nuggets team 4–3 in the conference semi-finals (almost blowing a 3–0 series lead in the process). They advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual NBA champion Houston Rockets 4–1.

In the 1994–95 season, the Jazz had significant depth and talent at their disposal and were expected to make a serious run for the championship. However, they lost starting center Felton Spencer 34 games into the season with a ruptured Achilles Tendon. The Jazz were deep enough to still finish with a 60–22 record. However, the Jazz lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, 3-2.

Big man Greg Ostertag was added to the team for the 1995–96 season. The Jazz went 55-27, and reached the conference finals for the third time in history, nearly overcoming a 3–1 series deficit and narrowly losing to the Seattle SuperSonics 4–3.

1996–98: The NBA Finals years

In the next two seasons, the Jazz were finally able to capitalize on their regular season success. In 1996–97, the Jazz had their best record in franchise history at 64–18, with such players as Stockton, Malone, Hornacek, Russell, Ostertag, Antoine Carr, Howard Eisley, and Shandon Anderson. Malone won his first MVP for the 1996-97 regular season, averaging 27.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. The Jazz reached the NBA Finals for the first time after beating the Los Angeles Clippers 3–0, Los Angeles Lakers 4–1, and Houston Rockets. The Jazz met Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the finals, losing to the Bulls 4–2, with the last two games being decided in the final seconds (scores of 90–88 and 87–86).

During the offseason, the Jazz made no significant changes to their roster. During the 1997–98 season, expectations were high for another championship run. However, Stockton suffered a serious knee injury before the season began and missed the first 18 games. Despite the setback, the Jazz were still able to finish at 62–20. In the playoffs they beat the Rockets 3–2, the Spurs 4–1, and the Los Angeles Lakers 4–0 to advance to their second NBA Finals appearance in a row. Utah, an aged core made up of veterans Stockton, Malone and Hornacek, were facing a Lakers squad composed of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, two young superstars of the NBA at the time. Though the Jazz were favored to beat the Lakers, since they owned home court advantage, there were doubters. Many felt the Lakers were far too talented and athletic and that the Jazz's age would show. Yet all thoughts of this were dispelled in game one, where the Jazz dominated the Lakers to a 112–77 victory. It was the worst playoff loss in franchise history for the Lakers and set the tone for the series. Though other games were far closer than what occurred in game one, Utah would go on to sweep the Lakers and return to the NBA Finals for the second straight year. In the 1998 NBA Championship, the Jazz took Game 1 at home 88–85. However, the Bulls overcame a slow start to win Game 2 93–88, easily took Game 3 96–54 and won a closer Game 4 86–82 to lead 3–1 in the series. The Jazz fought back to win Game 5 83–81 at the United Center and the series returned to Salt Lake City, where the Jazz had always been dominant. The Jazz held a lead in most of Game 6, but the Bulls rallied, and in the last seconds of the game, Michael Jordan made a controvorsial jump shot to win the game, 87–86. This loss highlighted the Jazz's struggles in the postseason, despite their overall, consistent success. Former referee Mike Mathis, an adamant critic of current NBA officiating, did not cite the supposed offensive foul on Jordan and stated it was the correct no-call in an article denouncing NBA officials following the Tim Donaghy incident.[10] The game was also controversial because of two incidents early in the game. In the second quarter Howard Eisley made a three-pointer, but the officials incorrectly ruled that the shot was taken after the shot clock expired. Later in the game, Ron Harper made a two-pointer after the shot clock expired, but this time the officials allowed it. Many Jazz fans also feel that these "phantom five" points also cost them the game, since the final margin was only one point.

1999–2003: Stockton and Malone's final years

In the 1999 season, shortened to 50 games due to a lockout, the Jazz finished the season 37–13, tied with the Spurs for the best record in the league. They defeated the Sacramento Kings in five games in the first round of the playoffs. However, they lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Portland Trail Blazers. Despite yet another disappointment, Malone was awarded his second MVP.

During the 1999–00 season, the Jazz finished 55–27 and won the Midwest Division but once again struggled in the postseason, losing to the Portland Trail Blazers, again during the second round. During the offseason, Hornacek retired and Howard Eisley was traded in a four-team deal that brought in Donyell Marshall. They selected promising high school basketball star DeShawn Stevenson in the first round of the NBA Draft.

In the 2000–01 season, they went 53–29, but their playoff woes once again struck when they blew a 2–0 series lead in the first round of the playoffs to the Dallas Mavericks, a team that had not made the playoffs since 1990.

In the 2001–02 season, Andrei Kirilenko made his rookie debut, but overall the Jazz began to show their age and dwindling talent. The Jazz finished just 44–38 and lost to the Sacramento Kings 3–1 in the first round of the playoffs.

In 2002–03, Marshall and Russell moved on to other teams. Matt Harpring, however, was brought over from the Philadelphia 76ers, contributing to the offense and experiencing his best season. The Jazz approached 50 wins going into the playoffs, ultimately going 47–35 and again losing to the Kings 4–1. After the season, the end of an era came when Stockton retired and Malone moved to the Lakers in the hunt for a championship ring with several other future Hall-of-Famers (The Lakers fell to Detroit in the Finals the following season, after which Malone retired).

2003–06: Growing pains for the new Jazz

With their two franchise cornerstones in Malone and Stockton gone, the team was suddenly lacking a foundation going into the 2003–04 season. They were expected to finish near the bottom of the NBA by several NBA preview magazines, including Sports Illustrated.[11] Surprisingly, the Jazz finished with a 42–40 record, just missing the playoffs. The team featured several unheralded players who emerged into key contributors, including Kirilenko, Raja Bell, Matt Harpring, and Carlos Arroyo. In particular, Kirilenko demonstrated versatility on both offense and defense and earned a spot in the All-Star Game. The Jazz missed the playoffs by just one game to the Denver Nuggets, ending their streak of 20 consecutive seasons in the playoffs. Jerry Sloan finished second in the voting for the NBA Coach of the Year Award, losing to Hubie Brown of the Memphis Grizzlies.

During the offseason, the team made moves to bolster their roster, acquiring Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur as free agents and re-signing Carlos Arroyo and Gordan Giricek to extensions.

The 2004-05 season began decently for the Jazz, who started 8-7 in November, but a series of injuries, first to Arroyo and Raul Lopez, and later to Boozer and Kirilenko, caused the team to fall to the bottom of the division. When healthy, Boozer filled the power forward position ably, averaging 17.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in 51 games. However, the new additions took time from the existing players. It was rumored that locker room strife between Sloan and the younger players caused the trading away of Arroyo mid-season to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Elden Campbell (who was immediately waived). The Jazz ended the 2004–05 season with a record of 26–56, their worst since the 1981-82 season. However, this enabled the team to add a high draft pick and a player who would become the next cornerstone.

In the summer of 2005, the Jazz continued to shape their roster by dispatching some of their under-performing young players and trading three draft picks in order to acquire the #3 pick overall, with which they selected point guard Deron Williams of the University of Illinois. Raja Bell left the team for the Phoenix Suns, the Jazz re-obtained Greg Ostertag from the Kings, and oft-injured point guard Raul Lopez was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The 2005–06 season was injury-plagued before it even started; Boozer missed the first 49 games and Gordan Giricek and Kirilenko both missed significant time due to injuries. Okur and Kirilenko, however, showed consistently good play, while Williams, despite a mid-season slump, did not disappoint. However, rumors of discontent between Jerry Sloan and the young players persisted, while team owner Larry Miller continually expressed his displeasure with the team's effort. They stayed in the playoff race until the third-to-last game, when they lost to the Dallas Mavericks. The Jazz ended the season 41–41 and just 3 games out of the playoffs. Ostertag retired at the end of the season, having spent 10 of his 11 seasons with the team.

In the 2006 NBA Draft, the Jazz selected promising University of Arkansas shooting guard Ronnie Brewer in the first round and in the second round selected point guard Dee Brown and power forward Paul Millsap. Several young players were traded away for Golden State Warriors guard Derek Fisher, giving them a veteran point guard. The Jazz were heralded by several major sports websites for drafting well and making good offseason moves.[12][13]

2006-2010: Williams, Boozer, and Okur Era

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 third in the league in assists per game with 9.3 (behind Steve Nash and Chris Paul). The team also developed a deep bench; in the 10 games that Boozer and Okur (the two leading scorers) missed, the team went 8–2. Paul Millsap became one of the biggest surprise rookies of the year and became a competent backup to Boozer. Despite the elevated play of the Jazz's budding stars, Kirilenko showed a significant drop in his statistics and had struggles adapting to his reduced role. This eventually led to a well-publicized breakdown early in the first round of the playoffs. The Jazz clinched the playoffs as the #4 seed with a 51–31 record.

The Jazz went on to face the Houston Rockets in the first round. The series was a physical, close-fought one, with each of the first 6 games being won by the home team. The Jazz were able to break this trend in the 7th game,taking advantage of Tracy Mcgrady's injury and the Rocket's injury depleted bench, beating the Rockets 103–99 in Houston. The Jazz then went on to face the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors, who were coming off a historic upset of the #1-seeded Dallas Mavericks (who had gone 67–15 in the regular season, one of the best in NBA history). However, the Jazz easily handled the Warriors, winning the series 4–1. The Jazz went on to face the San Antonio Spurs, fresh off a controversial victory over the Phoenix Suns, in the Western Conference Finals, but were eliminated from the playoffs 4–1.

During the offseason, the Jazz gained a hometown D-League affiliate in the Utah Flash (based in Orem), that they share with the Boston Celtics. During the offseason, the Jazz selected shooting guard Morris Almond in the first round, although ultimately they made few lineup changes. The most significant move was in letting Derek Fisher go. Fisher had also become a fan favorite due to his daughter's well-publicized battle with a rare form of eye cancer; he moved to Los Angeles during the offseason to be closer to better care for his daughter, and later signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he won three championships from 2000–2002. Offseason controversy arose after Kirilenko led his Russian national team to a win in EuroBasket 2007 (the European championship), a tournament in which he was named MVP. After this, Kirilenko posted on a blog that he wished to be traded from the Jazz and would be willing to walk away from his contract. He later reaffirmed this in interviews. However, no trade was made and he remained with the team into next season.

During the 2007–08 season, after a trade that sent disgruntled shooting guard Gordan Giricek to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Kyle Korver, 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). The Jazz finished the regular season 5th best in the west with a 54–28 record. For the first time since the 97-98 season, the Jazz sold out every home game, and they possessed a phenomenal 37-4 home record; this was, however, offset by a subpar road record.

The Jazz once again became matched against the Houston Rockets in the first-round of the playoffs, this time as a #4 seed (although the Rockets possessed home-court advantage due to a better record). The Jazz jumped out to a quick 2-0 series lead in Houston, but lost the first game in Salt Lake City. After splitting the next two games, the Jazz dealt the Rockets a 113-91 blowout victory in game 6, placing them into a second-round matchup with the #1 seed Los Angeles Lakers. It was the first time these two franchises had competed in a post-season series since the 1998 Western Conference Finals. Four individuals from that series were present in this one: Laker players Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, and Utah head coach Jerry Sloan and assistant coach Phil Johnson. Conversely, it was also the first playoff series meeting between Coach Sloan, and Lakers' Head Coach Phil Jackson since the Chicago Bulls defeated the Jazz in the NBA Finals that same year, 4 games to 2. Utah lost game 1 and game 2 in Los Angeles. However the Jazz held up their great home winning record by defeating Los Angeles in Games 3 and 4. The Jazz lost game 5 in L.A. and were eventually eliminated in Game 6. The Jazz made no major offseason moves during 2008.

The 2008–09 season was tough for the Jazz as they struggled with consistent injuries that continually disrupted the chemistry of the team, and although they were once again nearly unstoppable at home, they also once again possessed a poor road record. Utah's top three players all missed significant times due to sickness or injuries; Deron Williams missed 13 of the first 15 games, Carlos Boozer missed more than half of the season, and Mehmet Okur missed sporadic time due to both injuries and his father's sickness that forced him to travel to his native Turkey early in the season. On February 20, 2009, Jazz owner Larry H. Miller died of complications from diabetes. During his final months as team owner, his family, led by his son Greg Miller, ran the day-to-day business operations of the Jazz. The Jazz finished with a 48–34 record, causing them to slip to #8 in the competitive Western Conference playoff race, after which they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers for the second year in a row, 4 games to 1. The season would be the last for long-time radio and former TV announcer Hot Rod Hundley, who announced his retirement after being with the Jazz for their entire history (35 years). Despite the disappointment, Deron Williams proved himself to be one of the elite point guards of the league, averaging 19.4 points and 10.8 assists per game, second in the league, despite playing the entire season with a lingering ankle injury and also helping lead the U.S. Olympic basketball team to the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics as part of the Redeem Team.

During the 2009 NBA Draft, the Jazz selected point guard Eric Maynor #20 overall to back up Deron Williams. Veteran Matt Harpring retired, citing consistent injuries sustained from his physical playing style. Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, and Kyle Korver all possessed clauses for the final year of their contract in which they could choose to opt-out and seek a bigger deal - however, all 3 of them chose to "opt-in" and serve the final year of their contracts in Utah. In July, Okur signed a 2-year contract extension worth $21 million, keeping him with Utah through the 2011-12 season. Paul Millsap, a restricted free agent, signed an offer sheet from the Portland Trail Blazers but Utah exercised their right to match the offer and kept Millsap. Rumors began to circulate that Boozer wanted a trade, fueled by rumors that the Jazz were shopping him after his opt-in, however the team stated publicly this was not the case, and Boozer remained with the team heading into the 2009–10 season. The Jazz also added rookie shooting guard Wesley Matthews to the lineup after an impressive training camp.

As the 2009–10 season began, the Jazz struggled, starting off 19-17. Several trades occurred during the season, one that sent promising rookie Eric Maynor and the contract of the retired Matt Harpring to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Another sent starting shooting guard Ronnie Brewer to the Memphis Grizzlies at midseason, a trade which was openly criticized by Deron Williams.[14] The Brewer trade cleared the way for Wesley Matthews to take over the starting shooting guard spot.

Also, Deron Williams was selected to play in the All-Star Game for the first time, and after a controversial offseason, Carlos Boozer played better than the year prior, averaging 19.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, and missed only 4 games to injuries. He even suggested that he would be happy to stay with Utah long-term.[15] After returning from an early season injury, Kyle Korver set the NBA record for three-point field goal percentage in a season.[16]

In a tight Western Conference, the Jazz finished the season 53-29 and lost the division in a tiebreaker with the Denver Nuggets, ending with the #5 seed, matched up with the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. Kirilenko, who had missed 13 of the last 15 games of the regular season due to a nagging calf muscle strain, re-aggravated the injury the day before the first game of the playoffs and is expected to miss the entire first round, while Mehmet Okur tore his Achilles tendon in the first game and missed the rest of the playoffs. Despite the injuries, the Jazz played well enough to defeat Denver 4-2 in the series. The Jazz were then eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round, being swept 4-0. This also marked the third year in a row that the Lakers had eliminated the Jazz in the playoffs.

2010 : Changes to the Jazz Core

On June 15, 2010, the Jazz unveiled a new color scheme and logo which represented a return to the old 'music note' logo. The team unveiled new uniforms on August 16.[17]

During the 2010 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz selected Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans.

On July 7, 2010, Carlos Boozer agreed to a 5 year, $80 million contract with the Chicago Bulls in free agency. The Jazz turned the transaction into a sign-and-trade one day later, receiving a trade exception worth around $13 million in return from Chicago.[18]

On July 9, 2010, Kyle Korver agreed to sign with the Chicago Bulls. Terms were not announced, but multiple reports have it for 3 years, $13 million.[19]

On July 13, 2010, the Utah Jazz traded Kosta Koufos and 2 future first round picks to Minnesota for Forward/Center Al Jefferson, using the trade exception from the Carlos Boozer deal to receive Jefferson's contract without exceeding the salary cap.[20]

On July 14, 2010, Wesley Matthews (being a free agent) signed a 5 year 33 million dollar contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.

On July 15, 2010, the Utah Jazz signed Guard Raja Bell to a 3 year 10 million dollar contract.

Rivals

The Houston Rockets have been a frequent rival of the Utah Jazz. They continually met in the playoffs during the 1980s and especially the 1990s. They first met 1985, when the Jazz defeated the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. The Jazz and Rockets met each other four times in five years during the mid-90s. They met in the conference finals in both 1994 and 1997, with the Rockets winning the first time and the Jazz the second time. In 1995 the Rockets beat the Jazz 3–2 and 1998, the Jazz defeated the Rockets in the first round, with the Rockets taking the #1-seeded Jazz to the full five games in 1998. The rivalry was re-ignited in the 2007 and 2008 playoffs, where the Jazz defeated the Rockets in the first round both times. In the old Western Conference, Utah and Houston were divisional foes; however, the Jazz have since relocated to the Northwest Division, while Houston is now in the Southwest Division.[21]

The Jazz, as one of the dominant teams of the 1990s, struck up a rivalry with the Eastern Conference Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls that resulted in the Jazz meeting and losing to them in the 1997 and 1998 NBA championships. The Portland Trail Blazers, who share their division, were a frequent rival throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. More recently, the San Antonio Spurs, who shared the division with the Jazz until 2004, the Denver Nuggets, and the Los Angeles Lakers have become heated rivals.

Olympians

On June 23, 2008, it was officially announced that team members Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer were selected for the 2008 U.S. Olympic basketball team that participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. The Jazz were the only team in the NBA with two players on the 2008 U.S. Olympic squad. The "Redeem Team" was awarded the gold medal.

Williams and Boozer joined former Jazz players John Stockton and Karl Malone as the only Jazzmen to be selected to play for the U.S. team. Stockton and Malone won gold medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic games. Andrei Kirilenko represented his home country of Russia at the 2008 games.

Season-by-season records

The Jazz are one of only 3 teams to have never lost 60 games in a season. The other teams are the New York Knicks and the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers.

Arenas and Logos

Arenas

In New Orleans
In Salt Lake City

Logos

Primary Logo, modified from original New Orleans Jazz logo (1979–1996)

Primary Logo (1996–2004)

Primary Logo (2004–2010)

"New Look" (2010–present)

Uniforms

Since the team's move from New Orleans to Salt Lake City in 1979, the Utah Jazz have worn several uniforms throughout their franchise history. From 1979-1996, the Jazz' home uniforms consisted of the "basketball forming J music note to write on Jazz" logo on the center chest, with purple numbers. The only modification to this uniform was the word "Utah" being added to the center chest logo in 1985. From 1979-1984, the Jazz' road uniforms were dark green, with the aforementioned Jazz logo on the center chest and gold numbers. For the 1984-85 season, the dark green road uniforms were changed to purple, with white trim added around the gold numbers. These uniforms were worn until the 1995-96 season.

For the 1996-97 season, the Jazz drastically updated their logos and uniforms, with a new color scheme of purple, copper and turquoise. Their new uniform set featured a silhouette of the Wasatch Range on the center chest, with a stylish new Jazz script, and purple & turquoise details. On the road purple jersey, the white mountain range gradually fades to purple just above the numbers, which are white, with copper interior trim and teal outlining. On the home white jersey, the numbers are purple, with white interior trim and teal outlining. The Jazz wore these jerseys until the 2003-04 season.

The Jazz also introduced an alternate black jersey in the 1998-99 season, with the Jazz script on the center chest, but without the Wasatch Range silhouette. On this jersey, both the Jazz script and numbers are white, with purple interior trim and copper outlining, and copper side panels. These jerseys were worn until the 2003-04 season.

In the 2004-05 season, the Jazz once again updated their color scheme, logos and uniforms. The new color scheme, which the team used until the end of the 2009-10 season, consisted of navy blue, powder blue, silver & purple, though the latter color was only used on the primary logo and alternate logo. The team logo remained the same, for the exception of the new color variation. The new home uniform consisted of an updated "Jazz" script on the center chest in navy blue, with navy numbers, both of which had silver interior trim and powder blue outlining. The new road uniform was navy blue, with a "Utah" script in powder blue on the center chest and powder blue numbers, both of which had silver outlining and white interior trim.

In the 2006-07 season, the Jazz introduced a new alternate powder blue uniform. This uniform, which the team used until the end of the 2009-10 season, featured a Jazz script identical to the team logo and navy blue numbers below the script, also with silver and white trim. The nameplate on the back of the jersey was navy blue.

On June 15, 2010, the Jazz unveiled a new logo and color scheme on the team's official website.[22] For the 2010-11 season, the Jazz will revert to the team's original music note logo, with a new color scheme of navy blue, gold, dark green & gray. The new uniform set, which was unveiled on August 16, 2010, features a design nearly identical to the team's aforementioned 1980s uniform designs, with the following exceptions: navy blue replacing purple on the road jerseys, dark green numerals on the home white jerseys, a white Jazz logo script on the road jerseys and side panels on both the home and away jerseys.[23]

Players

Current roster

Players Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. From
G 19 United States Virgin Islands Bell, Raja 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Florida International
C 16 Netherlands Elson, Francisco 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 240 lb (109 kg) California
F 40 United States Evans, Jeremy 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 196 lb (89 kg) Western Kentucky
C 44 Ukraine Fesenko, Kyrylo 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 300 lb (136 kg) Ukraine
F 20 United States Hayward, Gordon 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 207 lb (94 kg) Butler
F/C 25 United States Jefferson, Al 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 265 lb (120 kg) Prentiss HS (MS)*
F 47 Russia Kirilenko, Andrei 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Russia
G/F 34 United States Miles, C. J. 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 227 lb (103 kg) Skyline HS (TX)
F 24 United States Millsap, Paul 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Louisiana Tech
F/C 13 Turkey Okur, Mehmet Injured 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 263 lb (119 kg) Turkey
G 17 United States Price, Ronnie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 184 lb (83 kg) Utah Valley*
G 11 United States Watson, Earl 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) UCLA
G 8 United States Williams, Deron (C) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 207 lb (94 kg) Illinois
Head coach
  • United States Jerry Sloan (Evansville)
Assistant coach(es)
  • United States Phil Johnson (Utah State)
  • United States Tyrone Corbin (DePaul)
  • United States Scott Layden (St. Francis (PA))
Athletic trainer(s)
  • United States Gary Briggs (Morehead State*)
  • United States Brian Zettler (Texas A&M/North Texas*)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster • Transactions
Last transaction: 2010-10-21

International rights

PF Germany Peter Fehse 2002 NBA Draft 48th pick
C Croatia Ante Tomić 2008 NBA Draft 44th pick
PF Serbia Tadija Dragićević 2008 NBA Draft 53rd pick

Basketball Hall Of Famers

Retired numbers

Broadcasters

The Jazz's flagship radio stations are KFNZ and KBEE.

The Jazz signed a new exclusive 12 year agreement with FSN Utah on October 20, 2009, ending the team's broadcasts on KJZZ-TV.[24]

The Current team's announcers are:

Retired Announcers:

Franchise leaders

** – Leads NBA

Head coaches

Years Coach Record
1974–1975 Scotty Robertson 1–14
1974–1975 Elgin Baylor 0–1
1974–1977 Bill Van Breda Kolff 74–100
1977–1979 Elgin Baylor 86–134
1979–1981 Tom Nissalke 60–124
1981–1988 Frank Layden 277–294
1988–present Jerry Sloan 1146-758
1974–2009 Total 1610–1338

*Games completed through November 28, 2009

Official Utah Jazz Fan Engagement Site

In 2009, the Utah Jazz, with the help of GAGA Sports & Entertainment, launched JAZZ Connection, the official Fan Engagement Site for Utah Jazz Fans.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Deseret News - Utah Jazz: Roots of Utah's team planted in New Orleans
  2. ↑ Finney, Peter (October 30, 2002), "Former Jazzman James remembers 1970s NBA hoopla", The Times-Picayune: C1 
  3. ↑ "Jazz Basketball Investors, Inc.". FundingUniverse.com. http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Jazz-Basketball-Investors-Inc-Company-History.html. Retrieved 2007-04-22. 
  4. ↑ "New Orleans Jazz – Year Five". HornetsReport.com. http://hornetsreport.com/HRClassic/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=230. Retrieved 2007-04-22. 
  5. ↑ Blackwell, Dave. "Utah History Encyclopedia". State of Utah. http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/utah_today/utahjazz.html. Retrieved 2007-04-22. 
  6. ↑ "Utah History Encyclopedia – Utah Jazz". Utah History Encyclopedia. http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/u/UTAHJAZZ.html. Retrieved 2010-08-17. 
  7. ↑ "Quiet, efficient, tough as nails, Stockton defined the point". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/09/02/stockton/index.html. Retrieved 2010-08-17. 
  8. ↑ "Late Jazz owner Larry Miller spurned huge payday to keep team in Utah". Deseret News. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700029760/Late-Jazz-owner-Larry-Miller-spurned-huge-payday-to-keep-team-in-Utah.html. Retrieved 2010-08-20. 
  9. ↑ "David Robinson Info Page". Databasebasketball.com. http://www.databasebasketball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=ROBINDA01. Retrieved 2010-08-18. 
  10. ↑ Kerber, Fred (August 17, 2007). "Former Nba Ref Blasts Officiating". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/seven/08172007/sports/former_nba_ref_blasts_officiating_sports_fred_kerber.htm. 
  11. ↑ "SI's 2003-4 NBA Preview: Utah Jazz". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2003/magazine/10/20/jazz/. Retrieved 2010-08-19. 
  12. ↑ Stein, Marc (2006-09-21). "Offseason review: Rating the West from Mavs to Griz". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&id=2588267. Retrieved 2007-04-22. 
  13. ↑ Ventre, Michael. "NBA Offseason Report – Utah Jazz". MSNBC.com. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8502769/?pg=33#anc_spt_NBA_OFFseason_APP. Retrieved 2007-04-22. 
  14. ↑ Utah Jazz: Deron Williams sad to say goodbye. Deseret Morning News. February 19, 2010.
  15. ↑ Utah Jazz: Boozer wants to say. Deseret Morning News. February 24, 2010.
  16. ↑ Utah Jazz: Kyle Korver sets NBA record for 3-point accuracy. Deseret Morning News. April 15, 2010.
  17. ↑ Jazz Unveils New Colors and Additional Logo. NBA.com. June 15, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Jazz complete sign-and-trade with Bulls for Boozer". SLTrib.com. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/49897200-87/jazz-trade-exception-boozer.html.csp. Retrieved 2010-08-18. 
  19. ↑ "Bulls sign guard Kyle Korver". Bulls.com (nba.com/bulls). http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/korver_signs_100713.html. Retrieved 2010-08-18. 
  20. ↑ "Minnesota Timberwolves send Al Jefferson to Jazz for Kosta Koufos, draft picks". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5376884. Retrieved 2010-08-18. 
  21. ↑ "Utah Jazz Playoff History". sports.yahoo.com. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=utahpost. Retrieved 2010-08-18. 
  22. ↑ http://www.nba.com/jazz/news/1011_newlogos.html?ls=iref:nbahpt2 Jazz Unveils New Colors and Additional Logo
  23. ↑ http://www.nba.com/jazz/features/2010utahjazz_fanfest.html
  24. ↑ Salt Lake Tribune October 20, 2009 Jazz sign 12-year agreement with FSN Utah

External links

Utah Jazz
Formerly the New Orleans Jazz • Founded in 1974 • Based in Salt Lake City, Utah
The Franchise
Franchise • Expansion Draft • All-time Roster • Records • Head coaches • Seasons • Current season
Arenas
Loyola Field House • New Orleans Municipal Auditorium • Louisiana Superdome • Salt Palace • Thomas & Mack Center • EnergySolutions Arena (formerly Delta Center)
Coaches
Robertson • Baylor • van Breda Kolff • Baylor • Nissalke • Layden • Sloan
D-League Affiliate
Utah Flash
Administration
Jazz Basketball Investors, Inc. (the estate of Larry H. Miller, owner) • Kevin O'Connor (Sr. VP & General Manager) • Jerry Sloan (Head Coach)
Retired Numbers
1 • 4 • 7 • 12 • 14 • 32 • 35 • 53
Hall of Famers
Pete Maravich • Adrian Dantley • John Stockton • Jerry Sloan • "Hot Rod" Hundley • Karl Malone
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1997 • 1998 (Western)
Rivals
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TV: FSN Utah • Radio: KFNZ-AM • KBEE-FM • Announcers: Craig Bolerjack • Matt Harpring • David Locke • Ron Boone
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Category · Portal · 2010–2011 season