Championship
By Rick Grantham
Have you ever wondered why the Utah Jazz is named as such? New
Orleans, Louisiana was the birthplace of jazz, right? In fact,
the NBA squad, the Utah Jazz, was originally the New Orleans
Jazz. The Jazz played in New Orleans from 1975-1979. When the
team moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, it retained the original
team name.
Here are some interesting facts about Utah:
• Utah's name originates from the Ute Native Americans
• Utah's nickname is the "Beehive State"
• The state bird is ironically the California Sea Gull
• The Utah state flag contains a beehive, which symbolizes
diligence
• Major industries include farming, mining, natural gas, oil,
and steel production
The Utah Jazz's premiere season in the NBA included some sour
notes. They lost their first game to the Portland Trailblazers,
and ended the season with 24-58 record. Although the Jazz's
first season was disappointing, they were beginning to create a
solid foundation on which to build the franchise.
Less than two decades after entering the NBA, the Jazz's team
was playing sweet music. In particular, the duo of John Stockton
and Karl Malone created one of the best one-two punches in the
league. In 1996-1997, the Jazz earned a franchise-best 64-18
during the regular season.
The Jazz would glide through the playoffs. They sank the Los
Angeles Clippers (3-0), drowned the Los Angeles Lakers (4-1),
and eliminated the Houston Rockets in a war (4-2). In the NBA
Finals, the Jazz faced Michael Jordan and the mighty Chicago
Bulls. Though the Jazz played the Bulls closely, the Bulls
overpowered them and won the series (4-2).
Having established a solid team, the Jazz would play all the
right notes during the next regular season, finishing with an
outstanding 62-20 record. In the playoffs, the Jazz would battle
back to shoot down the Houston Rockets (3-2), unseat the San
Antonio Spurs (4-1), and then drain the Los Angeles Lakers
(4-0).
Many NBA experts chose the Utah Jazz to end the Bulls'
five-championship dynasty. However, the Jazz fell behind in the
series 3-1, and never recovered. In Game 6, Michael Jordan
willed the Bulls to victory and a 4-2 series win.
How have the Jazz fared since their last trip to the NBA
Finals? While they have made seven playoff appearances and won
three division crowns, the farthest they have advanced was to
the Western Conference Finals (2007).
Throughout their history, the Jazz have retired the jersey
numbers of seven players:
Adrian Dantley - #4 (Forward): 1979-1984
Mark Eaton - #53 (Center): 1982-1993
Darrell Griffith - #35 (Guard): 1980-1991
Jeff Hornacek - #14 (Guard): 1993-2000
Karl Malone - #32 (Forward): 1985-2003
Pete Maravich - #7 (Guard): 1974-1980
John Stockton - #12 (Guard) 1984-2003
It is inevitable that some of these players will also enter the
basketball Hall of Fame.
While the Utah Jazz has earned two trips to the NBA Finals, it
has not completed its song. Use Utah Jazz merchandise to cheer
on the team to the sweet sound of an NBA Championship!
About the Author: Rick Grantham is an avid sports fan. Most of
Rick's articles focus on
http://www.booyahvillage.com/nba-utah-jazz.html Utah Jazz
merchandise. Many articles are related to
http://www.booyahvillage.com/nba.html NBA fan gift and other
sports related topics. Rick is a contributing author to BooYah
Village
Source: http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=334237&ca=Sports
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