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68-648: Opened 54 years ago in late 1969 as the Special Events Center , it succeeded Nielsen Fieldhouse as the campus' primary indoor arena. It was renamed in 1987 in honor of chemicals entrepreneur and philanthropist Jon M. Huntsman (1937–2018), father of Utah's former governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. From its opening until the completion of the Delta Center in 1991, the Huntsman Center was one of Salt Lake City's premier sports and entertainment venues (along with

136-654: A jump shot to win the game, 87–86, and the series for Chicago, 4–2. In the 1999 season , shortened to 50 games due to a lockout , the Jazz finished 37–13, tied with the Spurs for the best record in the league. They defeated the Sacramento Kings in five games in the first round of the playoffs . However, they lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Portland Trail Blazers . Despite yet another disappointment, Malone

204-520: A 3–0 series lead in the process) to advance to the Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual NBA champion Houston Rockets 4–1. In the 1994–95 season, the Jazz had significant depth and talent and were expected to make a serious run for the championship. However, they lost starter Spencer 34 games into the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon . Despite this setback, the Jazz finished 60–22 before again losing to Houston in

272-573: A serious foot injury; however, Seikaly insisted the Jazz torpedoed the deal and that he wanted to play for them; however, Seikaly's refusal to report effectively killed the deal. After the trade was off, Orlando pivoted and traded Seikaly to the New Jersey Nets, where he would play a total of 18 games over the next 1 1/2 seasons before retiring from the NBA. The Jazz played better after Stockton returned from his early-season injury. The team went 51–13 over

340-663: A sign-and-trade yielding Utah a $ 13 million trade exception. The Bulls also signed Kyle Korver to a reported three-year, $ 13 million deal, while Wesley Matthews joined the Portland Trail Blazers with a five-year, $ 33 million offer sheet. To counter roster losses, Utah acquired Al Jefferson from Minnesota using the Boozer trade exception and signed Raja Bell to a three-year, $ 10 million contract. The Jazz rebranded in 2010, reverting to their "music note" logo and unveiling new uniforms. Restricted free-agent Kyrylo Fesenko accepted

408-619: A slow start to win Game 2, 93–88, easily took Game 3, 96–54, and won Game 4, 86–82, to lead the series 3–1. The Jazz fought back and won Game 5 on the road, 83–81, to trail 3–2 in the series, with Game 6 (and a Game 7 if needed) in Salt Lake City. The Jazz held a lead in most of Game 6, but the Bulls rallied, and in the last seconds of the game, Michael Jordan stole the ball from Malone on the final Jazz possession and then pushed off of Bryon Russell and made

476-778: A spot in the All-Star Game . The Jazz missed the playoffs by one game to the Denver Nuggets , ending a streak of 20 consecutive seasons in the playoffs. Jerry Sloan finished second in the voting for the NBA Coach of the Year Award , losing to Hubie Brown of the Memphis Grizzlies. During the off-season, the team made moves to change the roster; they acquired Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur as free agents and re-signed Carlos Arroyo and Gordan Giricek to extensions. The 2004–05 season

544-558: A year earlier when Miller purchased half for $ 8 million) before Miller stepped in at the last minute, purchasing Battistone's remaining 50 percent for $ 14 million and keeping the team in Utah. Wolfenson and Ratner later became the founders of the Minnesota Timberwolves expansion franchise which, coincidentally, was almost sold and moved to New Orleans in 1994. In 1986, Adrian Dantley, the team's star player who had carried them through

612-628: A young Kobe Bryant . The Jazz set the tone for the series with a win in Game 1, 112–77. Game 2, a 99–95 Jazz victory, and Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles were decided by an average of 7.5 points. The Jazz swept the Lakers and earned a second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. In the 1998 NBA Finals (again against the Chicago Bulls), the Jazz took Game 1 at home, 88–85 in overtime. However, the Bulls overcame

680-455: Is 4,650 feet (1,415 m) above sea level . 40°45′40″N 111°50′56″W  /  40.761°N 111.849°W  / 40.761; -111.849 This article about a sports venue in Utah is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City . The Jazz compete in

748-515: The Chicago Bulls in the Finals, losing the series 4–2, with the last two games decided in the final seconds (scores of 90–88 and 90–86). During the off-season, the Jazz made no changes to the roster. As the 1997–98 season neared, they were expected to be contenders for the championship again. However, Stockton suffered a serious knee injury before the season, and missed the first 18 games, in which

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816-614: The Dee Events Center in Ogden . The arena hosted the 1979 Final Four in late March, featuring the start of the rivalry between all-time greats Magic Johnson and Larry Bird . Magic's Michigan State team defeated Bird's previously unbeaten Indiana State in the final on March 26, which remains the most-watched college basketball game in history. Many observers consider the Magic-Bird rivalry established here and carried into

884-499: The NBA when both entered the league that fall to be a major factor in the league's 1980s renaissance. Nielsen Fieldhouse The Einar Nielsen Fieldhouse was a multi-purpose arena in the western United States , located in Salt Lake City , Utah . Opened 85 years ago in 1939 on the University of Utah campus, it was the home venue of Utes basketball for thirty years, and

952-973: The National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference . Since the 1991–92 season , the team has played its home games at the Delta Center , an arena they share with the Utah Hockey Club of the National Hockey League (NHL). The franchise began as an expansion team in the 1974–75 season as the New Orleans Jazz (as a tribute to New Orleans' history of originating jazz music ). The Jazz relocated from New Orleans to Salt Lake City on June 8, 1979. The Jazz were one of

1020-560: The Pac-12 in 2011 and the Huntsman Center became the largest arena in the conference. The elevation at street level is approximately 4,780 feet (1,455 m) above sea level , second-highest in the Pac-12. The Huntsman Center hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament 12 times ( 1984 , 1985 , 1987 , 1988 , 1990 , 1991 , 1993 , 1995 , 1997 , 2000 , 2003 , and 2006 ). It hosted

1088-534: The Salt Palace (1969–1993), the home of the Utah Stars ( ABA ) and Utah Jazz ( NBA )). Architecturally, it was once known for its steel cloud, which hung from the arena's silver dome interior. The steel cloud held the arena's center court scoreboard, sound and lighting systems. The scoreboard was upgraded in the 1980s with the addition of state-of-the-art rear projection video screens. The rear projection system

1156-616: The San Antonio Spurs each season during their city's rodeo . Deciding the Jazz were no longer viable in New Orleans, Battistone decided to move elsewhere. After scouting several new homes, he decided on Salt Lake City, even though it was a smaller market. Salt Lake City had previously been home to the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1970 to 1976. The Stars had been extremely popular in

1224-575: The Washington Bullets , while Eric Leckner and Bob Hansen were sent from Utah to the Sacramento Kings and Pervis Ellison going from Sacramento to Washington. The Jazz began the season 22–15 before going 27–8 in January and February, with new addition Jeff Malone averaging 18.6 points, giving them three strong scoring options (Karl Malone, Jeff Malone, and John Stockton – 64.8 of the team's 104 points per game). The Jazz finished 54–28, second in

1292-486: The Huntsman Center for all six games & four teams due to Vivint Arena undergoing renovations. The 15,000-seat multi-purpose arena is home to the University of Utah's "Runnin' Utes" basketball teams ( men's and women's ), "Red Rocks" women's gymnastics team and women's volleyball team. It also hosts concerts, mostly second-tier acts; most premier concerts have been hosted at Vivint Arena (Delta Center). Utah joined

1360-598: The Jazz began restructuring after Sloan's retirement and Williams' trade to the New Jersey Nets . Quin Snyder was hired as head coach in June 2014. With the development of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell into All-Stars, the Jazz launched themselves back into title contention, eventually earning the league's best regular season record in the 2020–21 season . However, following disappointing early playoff exits in both 2021 and 2022,

1428-406: The Jazz drafted Eric Maynor and added undrafted rookie Wesley Matthews . A midseason trade of Ronnie Brewer, criticized by Williams, allowed Matthews to step into a starting role. Boozer returned to form, Korver set an NBA three-point shooting record, and Williams made his first All-Star appearance. The Jazz concluded the 2009–10 season 53–29 but suffered critical injuries to Kirilenko and Okur in

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1496-479: The Jazz improved to 53–29. In the playoffs, they faced San Antonio in the first round, shutting down NBA scoring leader David Robinson throughout the series. Robinson had averaged 29.8 points on 50 percent shooting during the regular season, numbers that dropped to 20.0 and 41 percent in the series against Utah. The Jazz then fought off a determined Denver Nuggets team 4–3 in the Conference semifinals (almost blowing

1564-417: The Jazz played games in the cavernous Louisiana Superdome , but things were no better, because of high demand for the stadium, onerous lease terms, New Orleans' 11 percent amusement tax (highest in the nation), and Maravich's constant knee problems. They also faced the prospect of spending a whole month on the road each year because of New Orleans' Mardi Gras festivities, similar to the long road trip faced by

1632-478: The Jazz returned to the playoffs, facing the Houston Rockets and their All-Star centers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson . The Jazz prevailed in the series, 3–2, and advanced to the second round, losing the series to the high-scoring Denver Nuggets , 4–1. The team's perennial financial woes and instability were somewhat stabilized during April 1985, when auto dealer Larry H. Miller bought 50 percent of

1700-624: The Jazz traded Mitchell and Gobert to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves , respectively, in the 2022 offseason and entered a new era of rebuilding centered around Lauri Markkanen , who became an All-Star in his first season with the Jazz after being acquired in the Mitchell trade. On June 7, 1974, the New Orleans Jazz were admitted as an expansion franchise into the National Basketball Association (NBA). The first owner of

1768-464: The Jazz went 11–7. On February 17, 1998, at the NBA trade deadline, the Jazz consummated a trade with the Orlando Magic, to acquire center Rony Seikaly in an attempt to bolster their center rotation. However, Seikaly refused to report within the mandated 48 hours required by NBA rules. From there, the trade was called off, and the Jazz took Chris Morris & Greg Foster back. Rumors had Seikaly with

1836-406: The Jazz won Game 2 in Los Angeles, 101–97, and took the lead in the series 2–1 with a Game 3 win in Salt Lake City. The Jazz lost Games 4 and 5, but won Game 6, 108–80, tying the series 3–3. In the decisive Game 7, the Lakers won 109–98. During the 1988–89 season, Frank Layden stepped down as head coach of the Jazz after the first 17 games, and was replaced by Jerry Sloan . The Jazz won 51 games and

1904-698: The Midwest Division and finished with the best record in the Western Conference. The team included Stockton , Malone and Hornacek , as well as Bryon Russell , Antoine Carr , Howard Eisley and Shandon Anderson . Malone won his first NBA MVP award, averaging 27.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. The Jazz reached the NBA Finals for the first time after beating the Clippers 3–0, Lakers 4–1 and Rockets 4–2. The Jazz then met Michael Jordan and

1972-450: The Midwest Division championship as they grew better overall. Malone and Stockton, as well as Mark Eaton, were the leaders of the team and also All-Star selections. Eaton won Defensive Player of the Year for the second time, and it appeared the Jazz were ready to take the next step toward contending for an NBA title, after having pushed the Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference semifinals

2040-622: The San Antonio Spurs, who later won the NBA championship. In 2007, the Jazz continued to build momentum but were marred by off-court stories. Controversy arose after Kirilenko led his Russian national team to a win in EuroBasket 2007 (the European championship), a tournament in which he was named MVP. After that, Kirilenko posted on a blog that he wished to be traded from the Jazz and would be willing to walk away from his contract. However, no trade

2108-651: The West Regional Final twice ( 1971 , 1981 ) and one Final Four ( 1979 ). Due to the frequency of hosting first- and second-round games, the Huntsman Center is third all-time in NCAA Tournament games hosted, with 81. Since 2010 , NCAA tournament games in the city have been played at Delta Center, home of the NBA's Utah Jazz . Other venues for past NCAA games in the state include the Marriott Center in Provo and

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2176-542: The arena has hosted many academic and intellectual events over the years, such as a public lecture by renowned British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking in 1995, which was reported to be the largest live audience that Hawking had ever addressed at that time. The facility hosted two games of the Utah Jazz Summer League in 2016 due to a concert at Vivint Arena. In 2017, the Utah Jazz Summer League moved to

2244-471: The best numbers of his career. The Jazz approached 50 wins going into the playoffs , but ended up falling short with a record of 47–35. They faced the Sacramento Kings in the playoffs again, and lost in a five-game first-round series, 4–1. After the season, Stockton retired, and Malone left as a free agent to join the Los Angeles Lakers . Without Malone and Stockton, the faces of the Jazz franchise,

2312-460: The city and had even won an ABA title in their first season after moving from Los Angeles. However, their financial situation deteriorated in their last two seasons, and they were shut down by the league 16 games into the 1975–76 season in December 1975 after missing payroll. Although Salt Lake City was not known for its jazz culture, the team decided to keep the name, as there was not enough time before

2380-513: The division to San Antonio by a game, similar to their division finish the prior year. In the playoffs, they met the Phoenix Suns for the second year in a row. In Game 1 Utah won 129–90, which set the tone for the series, as Utah eliminated the Suns 3–1, earning a second-round matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, the defending Western Conference champions. The Jazz played well, keeping close in most of

2448-467: The draft party booed the selection. The 1984–85 season saw the emergence of Mark Eaton as a defensive force. Eaton averaged 5.6 blocks per game (still an NBA single-season record) along with 9.7 points and 11.3 rebounds, and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award . On the downside, John Drew played only 19 games all season, which deprived the team of their high-scoring sixth man. However,

2516-464: The early years in Utah, was traded to Detroit for Kelly Tripucka , who ended up splitting time with Thurl Bailey. Darrell Griffith, back from injuries that caused him to miss the 1985–86 season, lost his starter spot at guard to Bob Hansen . Stockton warranted more time at the point guard position. Despite all these changes, the team finished 44–38 before losing to the Golden State Warriors in

2584-523: The first round of the 2000 NBA draft . In the 2000–01 season, the Jazz posted a 53–29 record, but lost in the playoffs, surrendering a 2–0 series lead in the first round of the playoffs to the Dallas Mavericks to lose the series 3–2. This was their earliest exit from the playoffs since the 1994–95 season. In the 2001–02 season, Andrei Kirilenko made his rookie debut, averaging 10.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.91 blocks per game. The team started

2652-408: The first round of the playoffs. For the 1987–88 season, Stockton took over for Rickey Green as the starting point guard, and Malone established himself as one of the better power forwards in the league. The team finished 47–35 and defeated Portland, 3–1, in the first round, earning a second-round matchup with the reigning NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers . After Los Angeles took Game 1 at home,

2720-451: The first round, led by All-Stars Tom Chambers and Kevin Johnson . The Suns defeated the Jazz 3 games to 2. Again, the Jazz were left with questions as to how they could do so well in the regular season but fail to advance in the playoffs. For the 1990–91 season, the Jazz made another move to improve the team by executing a three-way trade that brought shooting guard Jeff Malone to Utah from

2788-458: The first time, where they again faced and lost to Portland, this time 4–2. The 1992–93 season was a letdown, as the team slumped to 47–35 and third place in the division. The center position, manned by defensive workhorse Mark Eaton for most of the past decade, became suspect as Eaton struggled with injuries and age. The bright spot for the season was the hosting of the NBA All-Star Game and

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2856-482: The forward positions, Eaton and Rich Kelley jointly manning the post, Green and Griffith at the guards, and Drew adding 17 points per game off the bench. They went 45–37 and won the Midwest Division , the first winning season and division championship in team history. Jazz fans were not happy when the team picked an unknown guard in the first round of the 1984 NBA draft , John Stockton . The Jazz fans on hand for

2924-481: The games, but lost the series 4–1 to a deeper and more experienced Trail Blazers team. The 1991–92 season proved to be the most successful in team history to that time. The Jazz moved to the Delta Center , a state-of-the-art arena that featured a seating capacity of 19,911. The new venue was a considerable improvement over the Salt Palace, which seated just over 12,000 and lacked luxury suites and retail space. Early in

2992-436: The last 64 games, to finish at 62–20, and won the Midwest Division and received home-court advantage for the playoffs . In the playoffs, the Jazz beat Houston 3–2, and San Antonio 4–1, to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the third straight year. Utah, with a veteran roster of Stockton, Malone and Hornacek, faced a Los Angeles Lakers team led by superstar Shaquille O'Neal , guards Eddie Jones , Nick Van Exel and

3060-476: The least successful teams in the league in their early years. Although 10 seasons elapsed before the Jazz qualified for their first playoff appearance in 1984 , they did not miss the playoffs again until 2004 . During the late 1980s, John Stockton and Karl Malone arose as the franchise players for the team and formed one of the most famed pick and roll duos in NBA history. Led by coach Jerry Sloan , who took over from Frank Layden in 1988, they became one of

3128-533: The next three years. Venue issues were a continual problem for the team while it was based in New Orleans. In the Jazz's first season, they played in the Municipal Auditorium and Loyola Field House , where the basketball court was raised so high that the NBA Players Association made the team put a net around the court to prevent players from falling off of the court and into the stands. Later,

3196-507: The playoffs, 3–2, in the first round. Greg Ostertag was added to the team for the 1995–96 season. The Jazz went 55–27, and reached the Conference Finals for the third time in history, nearly overcoming 3–1 series deficit before eventually succumbing to Seattle, 4–3. In the next two seasons, the Jazz were finally able to capitalize on regular-season success. In 1996–97 , the Jazz had the best record in franchise history (64–18), won

3264-430: The playoffs, finishing 41–41, and saw veteran Greg Ostertag retire. The 2006 offseason brought strong draft picks, including Paul Millsap and Ronnie Brewer , and a trade for veteran Derek Fisher . Improved play in the 2006–07 season saw the Jazz finish 51–31, with All-Star nods for Boozer and Mehmet Okur. Despite internal tension with Kirilenko, the Jazz advanced to the Western Conference Finals but were overpowered by

3332-466: The playoffs. Despite overcoming Denver in the first round, they were swept by the Lakers, marking their third consecutive playoff exit at the hands of Los Angeles. The Jazz's 2010 NBA draft selections included Gordon Hayward (No. 9 overall) and Jeremy Evans (No. 55 overall). In free agency, Carlos Boozer signed a five-year, $ 80 million deal with the Chicago Bulls on July 7, 2010, later converted into

3400-510: The postseason, and the Jazz lost in the first round to the Dallas Mavericks , 3–1. During the 1986 off-season, Battistone was approached to sell the team to Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner, who would have moved the team to Minneapolis . Larry Miller did not want to sell the team, but because of contractual language in his agreement with Battistone, could have been bought out by the new owners if he had refused to sell. Offers went as high as $ 28 million (the Jazz were valued at $ 16 million less than

3468-420: The powerhouse teams of the 1990s, culminating in two NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998 , where they lost both times to the Chicago Bulls , led by Michael Jordan . Both Stockton and Malone moved on in 2003. After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons the Jazz returned to prominence under the on-court leadership of point guard Deron Williams . However, partway through the 2010–11 season ,

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3536-400: The previous season. However, the second-seeded Jazz were eliminated in the first round in three games by the seventh-seeded Golden State Warriors. The following year, 1989–90, the Jazz made some changes. Thurl Bailey, who was relied on for 19 points per game the previous season, saw his playing time reduced in favor of rookie Blue Edwards , who played a prominent role with the team. The result

3604-479: The season slowly, with a record of 16–15 over the first two months, and finished 12–13 to go 44–38 overall. They lost to the Sacramento Kings 3–1 in the first round of the playoffs . Prior to the 2002–03 season, Marshall and Russell moved on to other teams. Matt Harpring was brought over from the Philadelphia 76ers , and took over the starting forward spot next to Malone, averaging 17.6 points and 6.6 rebounds,

3672-430: The start of the 1979–80 season to receive league approval for a name change. The Jazz's attendance declined slightly after the team's move from New Orleans to Utah, partly because of a late approval for the move (June 1979) and also poor marketing in the Salt Lake City area. Tom Nissalke departed as coach after the Jazz started the 1981–82 season 8–12, and general manager Frank Layden replaced him. In 1983, team

3740-458: The surrounding events of All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City. In the playoffs, the Jazz lost to Seattle in the first round, 3–2. During the postseason, the team addressed its struggles at the center position by acquiring Felton Spencer from Minnesota in return for backup center Mike Brown. During the 1993–94 season, the Jazz traded Jeff Malone to the Philadelphia 76ers for shooting guard Jeff Hornacek . Hornacek meshed well with Stockton, and

3808-426: The team from Battistone for $ 8 million. Battistone had been seeking to move the team. In the 1985 NBA draft , the team added Louisiana Tech forward Karl Malone , who made an immediate impact in the 1985–86 season , averaging 14.9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. However, starter Darrell Griffith missed the season with a stress fracture, and the Jazz hovered around .500 most of the year. Adrian Dantley missed

3876-450: The team lacked foundation as it went into the 2003–04 season. They were expected to finish near the bottom of the NBA by several NBA preview magazines, including Sports Illustrated . The Jazz finished with a 42–40 record. The team featured several unheralded players who emerged as key contributors, including Kirilenko, Raja Bell , and Carlos Arroyo . In particular, Kirilenko demonstrated versatility on both offense and defense and earned

3944-577: The team was an ownership group led by Sam Battistone. Team officials selected the name because of its definition in the dictionary: collective improvisation. The team began its inaugural season in New Orleans in the 1974–75 season . The team's first major move was to trade for star player Pete Maravich (who had played college basketball at LSU ) from the Atlanta Hawks for two first-round draft picks, three second-round picks, and one third-round pick over

4012-515: The university for many years, but now acts as a studio for students in the "pre-programs" for Multidisciplinary Design and Architecture, and houses the Meldrum Theatre. A new theatrical space occupied by Pioneer Theatre Company, and The University of Utah's Department of Theatre respectively. It is located in the southwest portion of campus, just north of Rice–Eccles Stadium , separated by Campus Drive. The approximate elevation at street level

4080-612: The year, a trade brought Tyrone Corbin , a tough defensive forward, from Minnesota in exchange for fan-favorite Thurl Bailey . The Jazz went 55–27 and won the Midwest Division championship for the first time since 1989. In the playoffs, the Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 3–2 in the first round, then beat the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round, 4–1, to advance to the Western Conference Finals for

4148-463: Was awarded his second MVP. During the 1999–2000 season, the Jazz finished 55–27 and won the Midwest Division but again struggled in the postseason , and lost to the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round. In the off-season, Hornacek retired and Howard Eisley was traded in a four-team deal that brought in Donyell Marshall . They selected high-school basketball star DeShawn Stevenson in

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4216-555: Was formally dedicated on the night of Tuesday, January 9, 1940. The fieldhouse hosted a pair of first round games of the 23-team NCAA tournament in 1968 , and high school basketball state tournaments . It was succeeded as the primary indoor venue on campus by the Jon M. Huntsman Center , which opened in late 1969 as the Special Events Center. The building served as a fitness and recreation center for students and staff at

4284-418: Was losing money, and management was crafting stunts, such as playing games at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas , to help the team become more profitable. The team was rumored to be moving as a result of Battistone's cash shortage as well as the fact they were playing in the league's smallest market. However, fortunes on the court improved, with a healthy Dantley, Jeff Wilkins , and rookie Bailey at

4352-417: Was made and he remained with the team. Elsewhere, Derek Fisher was allowed to walk off the team following his daughter's diagnosis of eye-cancer, leading Fisher to return to the Lakers. Nevertheless, key acquisitions like Kyle Korver bolstered the team, which secured a 54–28 record in 2007–08. After defeating Houston in the playoffs, they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round. The 2008–09 season

4420-539: Was marked by injuries, first to Arroyo and Raúl López , and later to Boozer and Kirilenko, which were a large part of the team's fall to the bottom of the division. When healthy, Boozer averaged 17.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in 51 games. The Jazz ended the 2004–05 season 26–56, their worst since the 1981–82 season. In 2005 the Utah Jazz acquired Deron Williams with the third overall draft pick but faced challenges as injuries plagued key players like Carlos Boozer, Gordan Giricek, and Andrei Kirilenko. The Jazz narrowly missed

4488-402: Was marred by injuries to stars like Williams, Boozer, and Okur, alongside the death of team owner Larry H. Miller. Despite a strong home record, they finished 48–34 and were eliminated in the first playoff round by the Lakers. Williams emerged as one of the league’s elite point guards, averaging 19.4 points and 10.8 assists, despite playing the entire season with a lingering ankle injury. In 2009

4556-412: Was the best win–loss mark in team history, as the Jazz finished 55–27 , second in the division to the San Antonio Spurs (56–26). Malone had his best season statistically, averaging 31.0 points and 11.1 rebounds. Stockton averaged 17.2 points and 14.5 assists per game, both career highs, with the assist total and average leading the NBA that season. In the playoffs, the Jazz played the Phoenix Suns in

4624-477: Was upgraded in 1995, and replaced in 2006 by four LED video screens. In 2014, the arena was renovated again. The $ 6 million project removed the steel cloud, as well as added a new floor, LED lights, sound system, drapes, and two grand entrances to house a Hall of Fame and Legacy Hall. On May 12, 1973, The Jackson 5 performed at the center. The facility hosted the 1989 Western Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament. In addition to athletics and concerts,

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