Ben Anderson: Playoff magic alive for the Utah Jazz


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SALT LAKE CITY — The NBA playoffs were once a special time for the people of Utah. John Stockton and Karl Malone led a newly retooled roster every season during their careers through the league’s postseason, with hopes of finally breaking through to the NBA Finals.

Though those teams never won a championship, Jazz fans relish the moments from throughout the decade as if they had.

From pushing the Showtime Lakers to seven games in 1988, to “The Shot” in 1997, the Stockton and Malone era carried a magical aura in April and May.

Though it’s early in the Jazz’s postseason run, that magical feeling is creeping back into Utah.

The Jazz’s playoff series with the Clippers couldn’t have started much worse, with star center Rudy Gobert going down with a hyperextended knee just 11 seconds into Game 1. All of Jazz Nation, fans and the team alike, appeared stunned. The team’s offense was slow out of the gate, but found its rhythm in the second quarter, which it carried throughout Game 1.

Joe Johnson cemented himself as a Utah legend in just his first playoff game in a Jazz uniform, sinking the game-winning floater over Jamal Crawford and DeAndre Jordan as time expired to give the Jazz an improbably 97-95 victory.

Utah Jazz forward Joe Johnson (6) drives as Los Angeles Clippers forward Luc Mbah a Moute (12) defends during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Sunday, April 23, 2017, in Salt Lake City. The Jazz won 105-98. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Utah Jazz forward Joe Johnson (6) drives as Los Angeles Clippers forward Luc Mbah a Moute (12) defends during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Sunday, April 23, 2017, in Salt Lake City. The Jazz won 105-98. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

That was just the beginning of the Jazz magic in the series, though it didn’t come without adversity.

When Clippers star Blake Griffin went down in Game 3 with an injury to the big toe on his right foot, the Jazz appeared to have a clear path to victory in Vivint Arena. But Chris Paul, a longtime Jazz nemesis, proved his superstardom with a miraculous performance, and willed the Clippers to victory.

After falling behind two games to one, the Jazz were faced with a must-win victory in Game 4 at home, or risk heading back to Los Angeles, hoping to avoid elimination on the road.

In Game 4, the magic started before the opening tip.

The Jazz announced Gobert would be returning to the lineup after missing just two starts with the injury. Earlier this season, Rodney Hood missed a total of 12 games in 15 outings with a similar hyperextension.

Though Gobert played just 24 minutes, he turned in a near perfect performance, scoring 15 points, grabbing 13 rebounds and blocking two shots while converting all six of his field goal attempts.

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) dunks the ball on Los Angeles Clippers center Marreese Speights, left, during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Sunday, April 23, 2017, in Salt Lake City. The Jazz won 105-98. (Rick Bowmer, AP Photo)
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) dunks the ball on Los Angeles Clippers center Marreese Speights, left, during the second half in Game 4 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Sunday, April 23, 2017, in Salt Lake City. The Jazz won 105-98. (Rick Bowmer, AP Photo)

In addition to Gobert’s appearance, Derrick Favors appeared to remove the invisibility cloak that shrouded him during his two-point, six-rebound Game 3. Favors followed up his quiet performance with a 17-point, six-rebound performance in just 24 minutes off the bench, including an impressive defensive effort in the fourth quarter.

However, the Jazz big night wouldn’t again be without adversity. After playing just nine first-half minutes, Gordon Hayward would be ruled out of the second half after suffering from food poisoning. With Hayward out, the Jazz would once again need a miracle to get the victory.

Once again, Johnson appeared to carry the magic wand for the Jazz when he scored or assisted on 20 points over a 22-point stretch in the fourth quarter. At one point, Johnson scored 11 straight points to help the Jazz overcome what was a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

The Jazz came away with a 105-98 victory.

While this postseason has reminded Jazz fans of prior playoff miracles, fans must recall that for as many bright spots as there were for the ’90s Jazz, there were also seasons that ended in disappointment. As the current Jazz look to match their historical counterparts, low spots will inevitably fill the gaps left void between victories.

The Jazz will look to capture more magic as they travel to Los Angeles for Game 5, looking to position themselves for a closeout opportunity in Salt Lake for Game 6.

If it doesn’t happen, Jazz fans can still enjoy the magic they uncovered in Games 1 and 4 against the Clippers as they look to build for a decade's worth of miraculous moments.


![Ben Anderson](http://img.ksl.com/slc/2556/255612/25561254\.jpg?filter=ksl/65x65)
About the Author: Ben Anderson \------------------------------

Ben Anderson is a sports contributor for KSL.com. Follow him on Twitter @BenKFAN.

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