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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone isn't putting much stock into the Jazz's 107-99 loss to Oklahoma City in Game 5 of the NBA playoffs first-round series Wednesday night.
Just finish the job in Salt Lake City, "The Mailman" emphasized.
"What good can you get out of that game? Nothing. Get ready to end it tomorrow at home," Malone said Thursday during an appearance at Gracie's in Salt Lake City. "Those guys love to play, and it's evident by watching them.
"I love watching them. I can actually say this team they have, I set my schedule by it. They play hard, they play together, and they act like they want to be here."
A lot of comparisons are being drawn to Malone's own Jazz teams — including a group that went to back-to-back NBA Finals in the 1990s and the John Stockton-to-Malone glory squads — when talking about the 2018 Jazz.
Malone won't deliver any of those comparisons. But he does like one thing about the 2018 Utah Jazz.
"I don't like comparing. They are entirely different and they are making their mark their own way," he said. "And I love it. You've got a lot of young guys that pull up each other, that are unselfish — but more than anything, if you give them (expletive), they give you (expletive) right back."
Donovan Mitchell has been sensational, too. The rookie from Louisville has averaged 20.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in a season when many consider him a front-runner for Rookie of the Year honors.
He also broke Malone's franchise record for most points in his first playoff series.
Is that a sore subject for The Mailman?
"And?" He asked rhetorically. "That's part of it. He's probably going to break a whole lot more of them."
Click the video above for the complete conversation with Malone.
