The Greatest Jazz Game Ever Played

[TheSilencer1313]

Russell's dunk is one of the most overlooked moments in Jazz history. I know it didn't mean anything at all determining the outcome of the game, but that moment was the loudest our arena has ever been. Watching Perkins' slam this week reminded me of it:

https://youtu.be/0PtpvhG10II

And to answer the question this thread this is definitely the greatest Jazz game of all time.

No comparison between OKC fans and Utah fans. That Jazz vs. Bulls game might have been the loudest any croud has ever been in an NBA game.
They didn't even measure fan loudness decibles until that Finals series in Salt Lake.

 

[dipship31]

No comparison between OKC fans and Utah fans. That Jazz vs. Bulls game might have been the loudest any croud has ever been in an NBA game.
They didn't even measure fan loudness decibles until that Finals series in Salt Lake.

I think there is a comparison, but that we were still definitely louder. There's been some contenders (Kings '01 ish, Warriors '07, OKC now), but I don't think any of those could touch what we did in Game 4 '97. Back then Jazz fans just wanted to yell and be loud. We started getting it back around the Dwill/Boozer era, but it seemed like a lot of that was just fueled by pure anger, mostly directly at the Lakers. I've never been in a more angry atmosphere than Game 6 against the Lakers in '08.

 

[dipship31]

Best games in the past few seasons are:
1. Cavs sundiata game winner
2. Thunder 140-139 game
3. Dallas 3 OT

Can't believe I missed going to that Thunder game, was just epic. Was in the arena for the other 2 though and the only thing that sucked about the Gaines game was that about 1/3 of the arena left early! Could've even been a cooler and louder moment if they just would've stuck around for a game within reach.

 

[Forever Jazz]

I've never heard a crowd roar like that, and after this game virtually every Jazz fan felt like Utah would win the championship - not because they were overconfident or underestimated the greatness of Jordan - but because the Jazz just felt like a team of destiny. Then Jordan had to ruin everything.

2 days from now will be the 15th anniversary of me crying myself to sleep...Damn flu game...WE WERE UP 16!!!!

 

[Forever Jazz]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to vslice02 again.

 

[Weezur]

Game 6 vs. Houston was an incredible comeback with the most memorable shot in Jazz history - but this game was just bigger and better in nearly every facet. NBA Finals, Stockton upstaging Jordan in the final minutes, Utah down 4 w/2 min left and scoring the final 9 points against a 69-win Bulls team to mark the only time ever Jordan and the Bulls were tied 2-2 after 4 games in the NBA Finals

As dipship mentioned, the fact that it was at home further enhances the moment in Jazz history (the other two times Utah clinched berths to the Finals came on the road). You had Larry Miller showing up at the game in the final minute (it was a Sunday evening game) and Jim Gray interviewing LHM in the tunnel of the Delta Center right as Karl Malone was preparing to shoot huge FT's, and Malone made the FT's which at the time seemingly redeemed himself for the Game 1 misses, the embrace between Jerry and Karl, the crowd roaring 10 minutes after the final buzzer, everything about that night was magical.

And here on Russell's dunk, the crowd is so loud you can't even hear Marv Albert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STnBpUFM98Y#t=13m05s

I've never heard a crowd roar like that, and after this game virtually every Jazz fan felt like Utah would win the championship - not because they were overconfident or underestimated the greatness of Jordan - but because the Jazz just felt like a team of destiny. Then Jordan had to ruin everything.

Damn, that game makes me wish I was into basketball back then. That Jazz team was doing almost everything right. Pick and Roll D...running the floor, passing..
Jazz basketball sucks right now in comparison.

 

[candrew]

2 days from now will be the 15th anniversary of me crying myself to sleep...Damn flu game...WE WERE UP 16!!!!

I know how you feel - only that game was on my birthday.

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

Damn, that game makes me wish I was into basketball back then. That Jazz team was doing almost everything right. Pick and Roll D...running the floor, passing..
Jazz basketball sucks right now in comparison.

You definitely missed out on what I call the golden age of the NBA , and the jazz used to do to other teams what the spurs did to us in the playoffs. The jazz had players that all fit together in a system, they knew their rolls and played them well. The only iso play the jazz did was Malone, and even he didn't look to shoot at all cost, like Millsap and Al do. I think one of the things I miss the most is where Malone would get the ball in the post then either Stockton, Or Horny would cut through the middle of the lane for Malone's patented over the shoulder pass for an easy layin.

I know how you feel - only that game was on my birthday.

sooooooooo, did you celebrate that year?

 

[vslice02]

You definitely missed out on what I call the golden age of the NBA , and the jazz used to do to other teams what the spurs did to us in the playoffs.

This. One of the classic series was sweeping the Lakers in the '98 Conference Finals. Utah had knocked LA out the previous year and this time LA had 4 All-stars and had completely demolished an extremely talented Seattle team so virtually all the "experts" as well as LA were expecting them to roll through the aging Jazz. Utah completely schooled LA in virtually every aspect of the game.

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

This. One of the classic series was sweeping the Lakers in the '98 Conference Finals. Utah had knocked LA out the previous year and this time LA had 4 All-stars and had completely demolished an extremely talented Seattle team so virtually all the "experts" as well as LA were expecting them to roll through the aging Jazz. Utah completely schooled LA in virtually every aspect of the game.

In two years we were 8-1 vs. The Lakers with Shaq and a young Kobe.