Gunning for the Elusive Ring: A 1998-1999 Utah Jazz Season

[billman29]

Game: NBA 2K12
System: PC
Roster: Ultimate Base Roster, Version 35
Sliders: http://www.operationsports.com/forum...2-sliders.html
Difficulty: Pro
Quarter Length: 12 Minutes
Season Length: 82 Games

Utah Jazz Depth Chart - 1999
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	John Stockton	Howard Eisley	Jacque Vaughn
SG	Jeff Hornaeck	Shandon Anderson
SF	Byron Russell	Thurl Bailey
PF	Karl Malone	Adam Keefe
C	Greg Ostertag	Todd Fuller	Greg Foster

The Utah Jazz enter the 1998-1999 NBA season hungry to fulfill the promise of the previous two years. Division and Conference champions in both 96/97, and 97/98, Utah was unable in either season to knock the Bulls of Chicago off their NBA perch. John Stockton and Karl Malone can only hope the old adage ''the third time's a charm'' rings true as the Jazz will have to again contend with the Lakers, Spurs, Rockets and other members of the Western Conference's elite.

Next game: Tues Nov 1st 1998, home opener against Houston

[billman29]

Special Delivery: Malone delivers 22 in Jazz's opening night win against Pippen, Rockets

UTAH (AP) -- Although it couldn't make up for the previous two years Finals disappointment, the Jazz certainly didn't mind relishing in ruining the debut of one of their arch nemesis.

Karl Malone had 29 points, John Stockton added 13 of his own to along with 15 assists, helping Western Conference Champion Utah beat Scottie Pippen and the new look Houston Rockets 93-81 Wednesday night.

Malone said the key was a defense that limited Houston to 36.5 percent shooting from the field (27-for-74), 5-for 20 on 3-pointers.

"You just try to contain them. They're steady players, you know their habits. As much as you can, you've got to keep your body on them,'' Malone said.

"It was a hard-fought game," said Stockton, who had only six points midway through the third quarter. "Neither team can claim to have played a great game, but we toughed it out."

Coming over from Chicago in the off-season, Pippen helped spark Houston in the 4th, scoring 10 points in a 3 minute span late in the game to cut the deficit to 5. That was as close as they would get. Pippen finished the team as the team's leading scorer (24) and rebounder (12) on a night that saw teammates Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon struggle mightily from the field.

''It's a work in progress, and we recognize that.'' Barkley said. ''We had to make adjustments when it was me, Clyde and Hakeem when we joined up for the first time, now were going to have to go through that same process with Scottie.''

Rookie Michael Dickerson scored 17 for the Rockets, who played their first game in almost 4 years without Clyde Drexler, who retired in the off-season.

Utah continued to frustrate Houston in the regular season, having now won 7 straight regular season contests dating back to January 25th, 1997. The Jazz also have defeated the Rockets in back to back postseasons, including a first round triumph in 1998, both series victories eventually leading to Western Conference Titles for Utah.

Game Notes: Utah won their 5th straight home opener at the Delta Center ..... NBA commissioner David Stern and and current Rockies outfielder Larry Walker, who makes his home in Utah, were among the spectators ....... Due to a malfunction involving the harness designed to raise the Western Conference Championship banner, the game was delayed 15 minutes.

Houston Rockets (0-1) at Utah Jazz (1-0)
Nov 1, 1998 1 2 3 4 Final Houston 24 17 18 22 81 Utah 26 21 29 17 93 Top Performers Houston Rockets Scottie Pippen 24 Points - 12 Rebounds - 2 Assists Utah Jazz Karl Malone 22 Points - 9 Rebounds - 3 Assists	Team Stats Comparison HOU UTA FG Made-Att 27-74 33-71 3PT Made-Att 5-20 5-12 FT Made-Att 12-23 22-37 Rebounds 37 50 Assists 9 24 Turnovers 12 19 Steals 8 10 Blocks 4 5
Houston Rockets STARTERS MIN FG 3PT FT REB AST STL BLK TO PTS PG - Matt Maloney 40 SG - Michael Dickerson 33 5-12 3-6 3-4 2 0 0 0 2 17 SF - Scottie Pippen 44 10-20 0-2 4-4 12 2 4 0 2 24 PF - Charles Barkley 38 4-12 0-1 1-5 6 1 1 1 3 9 C - Hakeem Olajuwon 34 5-14 0-0 2-3 7 1 1 3 0 12 BENCH MIN FG 3PT FT REB AST STL BLK TO PTS PF - Matt Bullard 20 C - Othella Harrington 17 SG - Bryce Drew 8 PG - Anthony Miller 7
Utah Jazz STARTERS MIN FG 3PT FT REB AST STL BLK TO PTS PG - John Stockton 35 5-11 1-3 2-2 4 15 3 0 3 13 SG - Jeff Hornaeck 31 SF - Byron Russell 37 PF - Karl Malone 41 8-16 0-0 6-11 9 3 0 1 3 22 C - Greg Ostertag 37 BENCH MIN FG 3PT FT REB AST STL BLK TO PTS PG - Howard Eisley 12 SG - Shandon Anderson 28 PF - Adam Keefe 10 PG - Jaque Vaughn 1 C - Greg Foster 8

Next game: Thurs Nov 3rd 1998, vs Golden State

[BobbyColtrane]

If you keep playing, I'll keep reading. I'm a Spurs fan born and raised but I loved that team and the way it was built.