The top 10 greatest moments in Utah Jazz playoff history: Nos. 1-3


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SALT LAKE CITY — We're down to the final three in our countdown of the greatest moments in Jazz playoff history. A quick recap of Nos. 10-4 can be found here and here.

As always, rankings are listed in descending order, with the highest-rated moments coming last.

3. 1997 NBA Finals (Game 4): Utah (64-18) vs. Chicago (69-13)

Result: Jazz win Game 4, 78-73

The heroes: John Stockton, Karl Malone, Jeff Hornacek, this Jazz fan.

The villains: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Phil Jackson

Why important:

I know, I know — Utah ultimately goes on to lose to Jordan and the Bulls in six. But when viewed exclusive of the series, Game 4 of the ’97 Finals may be the Jazz's most exhilarating triumph ever, especially when considering it came against the Jazz's greatest-ever opponent.

Key moment:

Utah trails the Bulls 73-72 with 51 seconds remaining when Michael Jordan shoots and misses a jumper. John Stockton grabs the rebound, turns, and immediately fires one of the greatest passes in NBA Finals history, as the ball sails 68 feet through the air, over the head of Jordan and into the outstretched arms of Karl Malone for the go-ahead layup.

But there was still plenty of game left with 44.5 seconds and the greatest closer in the history of basketball on the court, so of course the Bulls give the ball to …

Steve Kerr?

Here is video evidence that proves it was indeed Kerr and not Jordan who attempted a corner-3, which he clanged off the front iron (but to be fair, Kerr would redeem himself by hitting the shot that beat the Jazz in Game 6).

Kerr's miss led to a pair of Malone free throws, a missed Jordan three and a bonus Bryon Russell dunk to seal a 78-73 Jazz victory and tie the series 2-2.

2. 1998 Western Conference Finals: Utah (62-20) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (61-21)

Result: Utah wins series 4-0

The heroes: Karl Malone, John Stockton, Bryon Russell, Greg Foster

The villains: Shaquille O'Neal, Eddie Jones, Kobe Bryant

Why important:

The 1997-98 Lakers were billed as a stronger, faster and more experienced team than the one Utah obliterated over five games in the playoffs a year previous. They came into the rematch leading the NBA in scoring. Shaq was averaging 28.3/11.4 a game and second-year Bryant had developed into the league's premier scorer from off the bench.

What's more, their 61-21 record made them the best Lakers team since Magic Johnson's 1990 MVP season, and they appeared even more imposing after ripping apart the 61-win Sonics in the conference semifinals.

And yet, Utah weighed in to the match, took a few warm-up punches, and then proceeded to absolutely pound the Lakers like they were Tom Hardy fighting Mad Dog Grimes in "Warrior."

Over half of the Jazz bench reached double-digit scoring figures during a 112-77 torching of L.A. in Game 1. Malone and Stockton then combined for 21-of-30 shooting in a 99-95 Game 2 win. Bryon Russell shot 100 percent in a 109-98 road win in Game 3, and Greg Foster slammed the door shut on the Lakers' title dreams in a 96-92 victory in Game 4.

Key moment:

Determined to avoid the four-game sweep, Shaquille O'Neal had scored 19 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4, helping to cut Utah's lead to 90-87 with a minute remaining. With Lakers fans rising to their feet, Stockton inexplicably dribbles the ball off his foot out-of-bounds with 44.9 seconds left on the clock.

Shaq takes the ball in the low post on the next possession before kicking it out to Rick Fox, who decides against an open look at a game-tying three, and instead bounces it right back to O'Neal. Shaq works on Malone, turns, draws a foul and hits the bucket.

But wait! Officials somehow rule there was no continuation on the shot, resulting in no basket and two free throws for the Lakers' star center. Shaq misses his 29th and 30th free throw attempts of the series, the Jazz grab the rebound and the Lakers are forced to begin fouling with only 26 seconds left.

L.A. whittles the deficit to 94-92 with 7.3 seconds remaining, but some nifty Jazz passing causes O'Neal to stumble at midcourt. A wide open Greg Foster takes a Stockton pass and dunks over Bryant, securing a second-consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.

1. 1997 Western Conference Finals: Utah (64-18) vs. Houston (57-25)

Result: Utah wins series 4-2

The heroes: John Stockton, Karl Malone, Jeff Hornacek, Bryon Russel, Greg Ostertag, Jerry Sloan

The villains: Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Rudy Tomjanovich

Why important:

The Jazz had appeared in the Western Conference Finals three times prior to 1997, losing to Portland in ’92, Houston in ’94 and Seattle in ’96. Thirty-four years spent trying to reach the Finals between Malone, Stockton and Jerry Sloan culminated in 1997 with their fourth trip to the Conference Finals, where they once again met up with the Houston Rockets.

Utah was already well acquainted with Houston, which had dealt the Jazz several excruciating playoff losses in recent years. Even more stinging than the defeat in the ’94 Conference Finals was Houston's shocking first round upset of the Jazz the very next year. The Rockets then went on to sweep Orlando to win their second-consecutive NBA title.

Redemption for those losses would mean defeating arguably the most talented roster in Rockets history, which included a big-three of future Hall-of-Famers in Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon.

The series began with both teams trading home wins for a 2-2 split. Returning to the Delta Center after a tough loss in Game 4, the Jazz retook the series lead with a 96-91 win in Game 5.

The series appeared destined to go to a seventh game after a Drexler score put the Rockets up by 10 points with less than three minutes remaining in Game 6.

But that's when Stockton began to play like he was the video game version of himself from "NBA Jam."

Stockton began by scoring four in between a pair of Bryon Russell 3-point assists, cutting the deficit to 94-98 with 1:30 to go. He then strung together a sequence that's best expressed in the official play-by-play record:

1:22 John Stockton makes driving layup (96-98)

1:19 Clyde Drexler lost ball turnover (John Stockton steals)

1:03 John Stockton makes driving layup (98-98)

After Barkley put the Rockets back up 100-98 with 32 seconds left, Stockton once again evened the score on a flailing 6-foot runner. A Drexler miss on the ensuing possession gave the Jazz the ball at midcourt with two seconds remaining.

Just enough time for the greatest moment in Jazz history.

Key moment:

"Russell to Stockton, Stock for three, Stock — got it! Unbeliavable! John Stockton! John Stockton! It's over, the Jazz win it! Utah goes to Chicago! Stockton hit the three! It's over! The Jazz are coming to Chicago! They've won the West!" — Rodney "Hot Rod" Hundley's game call of the shot that sent the Jazz to the NBA Finals.


Alex Clark is a sports writing intern for KSL.com. He currently studies digital journalism at BYU. Email: alclark35@gmail.com Twitter: alclark35

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