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SALT LAKE CITY - As the lights go dark and players are going through their lockers, some for the last time in a Jazz uniform, they have a chance to reflect and savor the good moments from the season.
Players have the chance to look back and see what they have done well and enjoy some memories for a season that fans and the team won't soon forget.
The first highlight is also the earliest. Jeremy Evans became the dunk champion during the NBA All-Star Break, but his favorite moment was a dunk actually didn't count.
"Probably the offensive foul that what's his name took and I dunked it," Evans said. "In Portland, Gerald Wallace."
As the season went along the struggles took over and the Jazz started to slip into the middle of the pack. Fighting back was a highlight for Big Al Jefferson.
"It's been a roller-coaster ride the whole season," Jefferson said. "We start out the season being blown out in the first two games, and I think we lost six in a row at one time. The only thing that stuck out to me is how we stuck together throughout the whole season. We just never gave up, not one time."
One player had a very specific game in mind when he looked back over the season.
"When we beat the Lakers at the Lakers," said Enes Kanter.
Kanter has improved his game and his best memory came from his career-high in points. He ended the night with 17 points and 8 rebounds in 23 minutes.
The Jazz went over .500 on the season after the Laker game and, despite going through some rough stretches, they never dropped below that line for the rest of the season. That brings up another players favorite moment from the season.
"I think it was that last two to three week period, when we really came together as a team and fought our way back to the playoffs," said Gordon Hayward. "I don't know if there is one particular game, I think it was just like I said that one stretch."
The fight lead the Jazz into the playoffs and two players had that as their moment for the season.
"Obviously making the playoffs," said Devin Harris after his first full year in a Jazz uniform.
The only thing that stuck out to me is how we stuck together throughout the whole season.
–Al Jefferson
The other playoff highlight came via Derrick Favors who said, "Just making the playoffs."
While making and fighting for the playoffs was the highlight for this year, most players talked about making a run next year into the playoffs.
The last highlight came in a loss, but it again showed the fighting spirit the Jazz have possessed all year. It was from DeMarre Carroll who joined the team late and provided one last thrill for Jazz fans that came up just short.
"Probably be when I came off the bench against the Spurs," Carroll said. "And I really just made my career-night just doing the little things. All the things I worked on in the Summer came to life."
The highlights of the players ranged from a play that didn't count in a game that didn't matter to making a run into the postseason to making a spark in the postseason. The season was shortened due to the lockout, but there was no shortage of great memories.
Okay, here is one last highlight for all the Jazz fans, courtesy of Enes Kanter.
