1989-1990 Utah Jazz: Powerful Delivery

1989-1990 Utah Jazz: Powerful Delivery

1989-1990 Utah Jazz: Powerful Delivery

For the latter part of the 1980’s the Utah Jazz received the most recognition from basketball fans because of their potent one-two punch of point guard John Stockton and power forward Karl Malone. The Jazz were considered to be afterthoughts in the Western Conference in the 1980’s as they did struggle to find their identity on the court. However, as the 1980’s came to a close the Jazz figured out what their team was all about and they started capitalizing on their strengths.

In the 1989-1990 NBA season the Utah Jazz went 55-27, finishing just 1 game behind the San Antonio Spurs in the Midwest Division and finishing as the 4th ranked team in the Western Conference. The Jazz went 36-5 at their home court called the Salt Palace while going only 19-22 on the road. The Jazz went 21-7 in divisional play.

Karl Malone scored a total of 2,540 points along with 911 total rebounds, 121 steals and 50 blocks, making 914 of 1,627 field goals and 16 of 43 three-point shots. Malone averaged 31 points per game and 11.1 rebounds per game. Most of Malone’s rebounds were defensive rebounds, which were 679, and he averaged 8.3 defensive rebounds per game.

John Stockton scored 1,345 total points while leading the NBA for the third consecutive year in total assists with 1,134. Stockton also had 207 steals while making 472 of 918 field goals and 47 of 113 three-point shots. Stockton averaged 17.2 points per game, 14.5 assists per game and 2.7 steals per game.

Small forward Thurl Bailey scored 1,162 points with 410 rebounds and 100 blocks, making 470 of 977 field goals. Center Mark Eaton may not have been a big scoring threat down low, but he was reliable on the defensive end. Eaton scored 395 points with 201 blocks, making 158 of 300 field goals. Shooting guard Bob Hansen scored 617 points with 149 assists and 52 steals, making 265 of 568 field goals and 54 of 154 three-point shots.

In the 1989 NBA Draft the Utah Jazz selected small forward Theodore “Blue” Edwards, who played college basketball at East Carolina University. Edwards was taken with the 21st pick of the 1st Round. Edwards was immediately thrust into playing time for the Jazz and he showed great promise in his rookie season. Edwards scored 727 total points with 251 rebounds, 145 assists and 76 steals, making 286 of 564 field goals and 9 of 30 three-point shots.

Shooting guard Darrell Griffith scored 733 total points, making 301 of 649 field goals and 80 of 215 three-point shots. Center Mike Brown scored 512 total points while pulling down 373 rebounds, making 177 of 344 field goals. Point guard Delaney Rudd scored 273 total points while dishing out 177 assists, making 111 of 259 field goals and 16 of 56 three-point shots.

The powerful delivery of the Utah Jazz as a team was felt right away by the rest of the NBA as they jumped out to an impressive 7-1 start in the regular season. This early stretch started on November 3 with a 122-113 win over the Denver Nuggets, and the stretch ended on November 21 with a tight 103-101 overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Turning over to the new year, the Jazz broke out a 9-game winning streak which began with a tight 123-120 win over the Denver Nuggets on January 6, and this streak ended with a 144-96 pounding of the Milwaukee Bucks on January 27. As February rolled around the Jazz were already becoming a legitimate force to be concerned about. The Jazz went on a 7-game winning streak, starting with a 110-106 win over the Sacramento Kings on February 17, and this streak would end with a 112-98 win over the San Antonio Spurs on March 3.

Considering what they had done in the regular season, it appeared as though the Utah Jazz had a deep playoff run in them, but here in the 1990 NBA Playoffs they wouldn’t get to show much of their potential. In the 1st Round of the Western Conference playoffs the Jazz fell to the Phoenix Suns 3 games to 2. However, the 2 wins the Jazz picked up were encouraging enough to give Jazz fans hope.

The Jazz took Game 1 on April 27 at their home of the Salt Palace by the score of 113-96. Karl Malone and John Stockton were clicking on all cylinders as their powerful deliveries on the court were hard for Phoenix to contain. Malone had 21 points along with 11 rebounds. Stockton had 16 points with 17 assists and 3 steals. Thurl Bailey pitched in with 16 points and 5 rebounds. Bob Hansen had 16 points and 4 rebounds.

After losing the next 2 games of the series the Jazz would tie the series up at 2 games apiece with a 105-94 victory in Game 4 on May 4 at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Karl Malone was once again dominant down low as he had 33 points, pulling down 11 rebounds and taking the basketball away with 5 steals. Malone made 13 of 24 field goals. Thurl Bailey scored 18 points while grabbing 7 rebounds, making 9 of 18 field goals. John Stockton scored 16 points while dishing out 14 assists, making 6 of 12 field goals.

The 1990’s would reveal a better structured team in the Utah Jazz that would go much deeper than the 1st Round of the playoffs, and with the core of the team already set and a wise head coach in Jerry Sloan, the Jazz were ready to make more powerful deliveries on the basketball court.