The Stockton-Malone Era of the Utah Jazz

Who has not heard of the baby-faced Karl Malone and the cool and calm John Stockton of the Utah Jazz? These two key players are the reasons why the Utah Jazz enjoyed great success in the mid 80s to 90s. The Stockton and Malone pairing is one thing the fans of the Utah Jazz will never forget and while the team did not win any NBA Championship rings from this pair's being in the team, they did give the State of Utah and basketball fans worldwide some of the best games in NBA history.

The team called Utah Jazz first acquired John Stockton in 1984 after the team drafted the excellent point guard out of Gonzaga University. The following year, the second half of the Utah Jazz tandem got into the team also via the draft and history was made. The Malone-Stockton pair became one of the game's most enjoyable sights and the combination that the power forward and the point guard created when they were on the court was considered somewhat unstoppable.

While the Utah Jazz did not make that big a splash in the first 10 years that these two were around, they did get themselves to the Finals of the NBA in the later part of the 90s. The team consistently and valiantly tried to gain the upper hand in their quest for the top prize in the league but they often fell short of their goal. The Utah Jazz also made a good showing by being in the playoffs from 1984 until 2002. After a three year lull, the team came back again in the 2006-2007 seasons to again lose in the conference finals. The Malone and Stockton tandem got dissolved in 2001 when Stockton finally retired without an NBA Championship ring and Malone followed suit the following year after a stint with the L.A. Lakers.