The Jazz are back and are looking to make some noise in the Western Conference. Led by a highly talented up and coming roster, Utah will battle to reign atop of the Northwest division and bring home an NBA championship. Division rivals, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets will seek to spoil the Jazz's plans. Grab your Utah Jazz tickets and head to the Energy Solutions Arena and lead your team victory.
After not performing as well as they would have likedto between 2012 and 2015, the Utah Jazz finally qualified for the playoffs in the 2016-2017 season. The team lost to the Golden State Warriors in the Conference Semifinals. The Jazz also qualified for the playoffs in this most recent season. The Jazz went head to head with the Thunder in the First Round and ended up beating Russell Westbrook and his team 4-2. In the Conference Semifinals, Utah faced Houston and sadly fell to the Rockets, losing the series 4-1. The team is now preparing for the upcoming campaign.
Standout Moments in Utah Jazz History
The Utah Jazz have provided many memorable moments since their inception in 1974. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Appearing in the NBA Finals for the First Time – The 1996-97 season is a special one for the Utah Jazz fans. That year, theymade it to the playoffs and won a division title and aconference crown. Moreover, they defeated teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, 3-0, the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1 and the Houston Rockets, 4-2 to face the Chicago Bulls for the NBA Championship. This was their first appearance in the NBA Finals. That is as good as it got for the Jazz however and they lost to the Bulls, 4-2.
John Stockton Sends the Utah Jazz to the NBA Finals – Another moment that Utah Jazz fans will never forget is when the veteran point guard, John Stockton sent their team to the NBA Finals in the 1996-97 campaign. It was the Jazz vs the Rockets in Game 6 of the Conference Finals when Stockton hit an incredible shot in the closing moments of the game. That shot sealed the win for the Utah Jazz and sent them to the NBA Finals.
Arch Rivals of Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz share intense rivalries with the likes of the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors.
Jazz-Rockets Rivalry – The rivalry between the Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets started in the 1990s. During that decade, these two sides played each other in the playoffs on four occasions. The Jazz won two series, while the Rockets clinched the other two. This rivalry was reignited in 2007 and 2008 as the Jazz and the Rockets met again in the playoffs.The Jazz won both times.
Jazz-Warriors Rivalry – The seeds of this rivalry were planted in 1987. That year the Warriors eliminated the Jazz from the playoffs. Since then, these two sides have encountered each other three times in the postseason. This rivalry became intense when the Jazz defeated the Warriors in Conference Semifinals in the 2006-07 season. However, in 2016-17 these sides met again for the Conference Semifinals, but this time the Warriors were able to exact revenge and won, 4-0.
Greatest Players in the History of the Utah Jazz
Over the years, a lot of star players have played for the Utah Jazz and John Stockton is one of them. He became a part of the team in 1984 and remained with the Jazz till his retirement in 2003. During this time, Stockton appeared in ten NBA All-Star Games. He also made it to the All-NBA First Team twice in 1994 and 1995. To honor him, the team not only retired his number 12 but also inducted him in Utah Jazz’s Hall of Fame in 2009.
Karl Malone is another star who played for the team from 1985 to 2003. While he was a part of the Utah Jazz roster, he was picked to appear in fourteen NBA All-Star Games. Moreover, Malone was selected in the All NBA-First Team eleven times. He also received The Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year Award in 1983.
Then there is Pete Maravich who played for the Utah Jazz from 1974 to 1980. He achieved many milestones throughout his career. While playing as a Point Guard in Utah, he was picked to appear in four NBA All-Star Games in 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1979. The Jazz have also retired his number 7 in his honor.
Utah Jazz Tickets
Sharing the rabid Utah fan base with just one other professional team, Real Salt Lake, the Jazz are an enormous source of pride in Salt Lake and beyond. Playing their home games at Vivint Smart Home Arena, the Jazz enjoy some of the best fan support in the league. Patrons also relive Utah history with commemorative statues of legends, John Stockton and Karl Malone.
The Utah Jazz surprised their fans by making it to the playoffs two years in a row. They are now looking to carry that momentum into the 2018-19 campaign which is just around the corner. If you are planning to watch them perform live then grab your Utah Jazz tickets.
