1996 NBA playoffs

The 1996 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995–96 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics 4 games to 2. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for a then record fourth time. By winning their fourth title, the Bulls capped what many consider to be the greatest season in NBA history, as they finished a record 72–10 in the regular season, eclipsing the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers record of 69–13, helped by the addition of another future Hall of Famer to the Bulls, Dennis Rodman. It was also redemption for Jordan after his first return to the playoffs in 1995 and the Bulls' disappointing second-round loss to the Orlando Magic, a team that would be swept in the NBA Finals. With him leading the way, the Bulls swept the defending Eastern Conference champion Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the four games by an average of 17 points en route to a combined record of 87–13 in regular season and postseason play. As for the Magic, it ended a three-year run of dominance for the team, as Shaquille O'Neal went on to sign with the Lakers the following season. The Magic did not have another 50-win season, division title and first round playoff series victory until 2008, followed the season afterward by an Eastern Conference championship and the franchise's second NBA Finals appearance in 2009 to which they lost to the Lakers. The SuperSonics were only the tenth team in NBA history to win 64 games during the regular season, but their feat went largely unnoticed due to Chicago's record 72 wins. They made their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1979, and vindicated them as well after their stunning first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets in 1994, when they had become the first #1 seed to lose to an eighth-seed.

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1996–97 Utah Jazz season

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Jazz's 23rd season in the National Basketball Association, and 18th season in Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to the start of the season, the Jazz changed their primary logo that more closely reflects the state of Utah, featuring purple mountains and light blue in the script, plus adding new uniforms. The new colors seemed to agree with the Jazz as they went on a 15-game winning streak between November and December after a 2–2 start to the season. With a 33–14 record at midseason, the Jazz then posted a 31–4 record after the All-Star break, where they posted another 15-game winning streak between March and April, winning 19 of their final 20 games, and finishing first place in the Western Conference with a franchise best record of 64–18. They made their fourteenth consecutive trip to the playoffs. The team also had the second best home record in the league with a 38–3 record at the Delta Center. Karl Malone averaged 27.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game as he took home MVP honors, finishing in first place ahead of Michael Jordan in Most Valuable Player voting, while being named to the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, John Stockton averaged 14.4 points, led the league with 10.5 assists, and contributed 2.0 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Both Malone and Stockton were selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game. Jeff Hornacek provided the team with 14.5 points and 1.5 steals per game, while Bryon Russell showed improvement stepping into the lineup, averaging 10.8 points and 1.4 steals per game, and second-year center Greg Ostertag averaged 7.3 points and rebounds per game each, and led the team with 2.0 blocks per game.In the playoffs, the Jazz got off to a flying start in the Western Conference First Round sweeping the Los Angeles Clippers in three straight games.

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1997–98 Utah Jazz season

The 1997–98 NBA season was the Jazz's 24th season in the National Basketball Association, and 19th season in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Jazz entered the season as runner-ups in the 1997 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games. During the off-season, All-Star guard John Stockton sustained a knee injury and missed the first 18 games of the season, as the Jazz slowly got off to an 11–7 start after losing three of their first four games. The team also changed their starting lineup, replacing Bryon Russell at small forward with Adam Keefe, and replacing Greg Ostertag at center with Greg Foster. However, Stockton would eventually return as the Jazz held a 31–15 record at the All-Star break.At midseason, the team traded Foster and Chris Morris to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Rony Seikaly in an effort to bolster the team's depth. 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 Foster and Morris back. Rumors had it that Seikaly was out with 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 won 31 of their final 36 games after the All-Star break, including an 11-game winning streak between February and March, finishing first place in the Midwest Division with a 62–20 record. They made their fifteenth consecutive trip to the playoffs.The Jazz's top scorer Karl Malone, who averaged 27.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, was part of a Jazz offense that had two other players, Stockton and Jeff Hornacek, averaging double-digits in points.

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2006–07 Utah Jazz season

The 2006-07 Utah Jazz season was the team's 33rd in the NBA. They began the season hoping to improve upon their 41-41 output from the previous season. They managed to improve by 10 games, finishing 51-31, and qualifying for the playoffs. The Jazz met the Houston Rockets in the first round, and defeated them in seven games. Then, they met the Golden State Warriors, who just came off a stunning upset in the First Round, in which they defeated the first-seeded Dallas Mavericks in six games in the Semifinals, but the Jazz swiftly dispatched the Warriors in five games, moving on to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1998, when they last made the NBA Finals. However, their playoff run ended with a defeat to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in five games. The Spurs would go on to win their fourth NBA Championship after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in that year's NBA Finals. Their Western Finals trip made this the most successful recent Jazz season as of 2022.

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2020–21 Utah Jazz season

The 2020–21 Utah Jazz season was the 47th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the 42nd season of the franchise in Salt Lake City. The Utah Jazz clinched a playoff berth for the fifth straight year; they were the first team of the season to do so, following the Memphis Grizzlies' victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on April 25.It was their first season finishing atop their conference since the 1997–98 season, and they had their highest win percentage since the 1998–99 season. Their 52–20 record approximately equals 59 wins in a full 82-game season. Additionally, despite the shortened season, it was their first season with 52 or more wins since the 2009–10 season. In the first round, the Jazz defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in five games advancing to the Conference Semifinals where they faced the Los Angeles Clippers. The Jazz would lose in six games.

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2021–22 Utah Jazz season

The 2021–22 Utah Jazz season was the 48th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the 43rd season of the franchise in Salt Lake City. After a win against the Memphis Grizzlies in overtime on April 5, the Jazz clinched their sixth consecutive playoff appearance. The Jazz would play the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs where they lost the series in six games.

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2022–23 NBA season

The 2022–23 NBA season is the upcoming 77th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA), with the regular season beginning on October 18, 2022 and ending on April 9, 2023. The 2023 NBA All-Star Game is scheduled to be played on February 19, 2023, at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The playoffs are then scheduled to begin on April 15, 2023 and ending with the NBA Finals in June 2023.

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2022–23 Utah Jazz season

The 2022–23 Utah Jazz season will be the 49th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). On June 5, 2022, Quin Snyder resigned from his position as head coach of the Utah Jazz after eight seasons with the team. On June 29, 2022, the Utah Jazz hired Will Hardy as their head coach. For the first time since 2012-13 season Rudy Gobert will not be on the roster as he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves after spending his first 9 seasons with the team.

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List of Utah Jazz seasons

This article is a list of seasons completed by the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Jazz joined the NBA as the New Orleans Jazz, an expansion team that began play in the 1974–75 season. The Jazz relocated from New Orleans to Salt Lake City, Utah for the 1979–80 season. As of the 2019–20 season, the Utah Jazz are the last franchise to not record a 60-loss season.

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Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference, Northwest Division. Since the 1991–92 season, the team has played its home games at Vivint Arena. The franchise began play 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 to Salt Lake City prior to the 1979–80 season. The Jazz were one of 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 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.

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