Retro Jazz: Utah vs LA on April 6, 1999

(Hat tip to @monilogue for the video)

In an effort to help you get through the lockout, here is one of my favorite Jazz games of all time. Appropriately enough, it happened in 1999 during the lockout-shortened season. The video is tagged 3/7/99 but this is a game from April 6, 1999. The Jazz won three out of four games against the Lakers that year, after knocking the Lakers out of the playoffs the previous two years. The Jazz would win again a week later, winning eight times in their previous 10 meetings with the Lakers, including a sweep in the playoffs a season before.

The Laker roster in 1999 featured a young Kobe Bryant, Shaq in his prime, Dennis Rodman at his craziest, Glen Rice, Rick Fox, Derek Harper, and Robert Horry. Phil Jackson would arrive as coach the next season, but in the meantime Kurt Rambis was in charge (and over his head).

The Jazz roster includes some of the most-loved names in team history. John Stockton, Karl Malone, Jeff Hornacek, Bryon Russell, Shandon Anderson, Howard Eisley, Adam Keefe, Jacque Vaughn, Thurl Bailey (in a return appearance), and even Greg Foster (famous for making the throat-slashing gesture against the Lakers in 1998. If anyone can find footage of that game from March 28, 1998, send it on). Greg Ostertag was also on the team.

Watch this video a million times. It’s absolutely brilliant. John Stockton puts on a virtuoso performance, making me realize we haven’t seen his equal before or since. Karl Malone is ridiculously tenacious, going 12/12 despite Dennis Rodman committing physical crimes that are probably illegal in several states. The rest of the players make cuts and finish at the rim in ways that haven’t been seen since.

The game also featured Jerry Sloan getting ejected, just to give Jazz fans an extra dose of nostalgia.

Enjoy.