Stockton-Malone vs Magic Lakers Era

The pick-and-roll dynasty that defined an era.

The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. They compete in the NBA as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference.

Quick Facts

Key players

John Stockton
Karl Malone
Magic Johnson

Affiliation

Utah Jazz vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Era period

Late 1980s to Early 1990s

Primary venue

Salt Palace Arena, Salt Lake City

Matchup nature

Playoff and Regular Season Battles

Status

Historic; Retired Legends

Lore & Background

During the late 1980s, John Stockton and Karl Malone arose as the franchise players and formed one of the most famed pick and roll duos in NBA history. Led by Hall of Fame coach Jerry Sloan, they became a powerhouse team of the 1990s, culminating in two NBA Finals appearances in 1997 and 1998, where they lost both times to the Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls.

Reader's Guide

Both Stockton and Malone moved on in 2003. After missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, the Jazz returned to prominence under point guard Deron Williams. However, partway through the 2010–11 season, the Jazz began restructuring after Sloan retired and Williams was traded. Quin Snyder was hired as head coach in June 2014. With the development of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell into All-Stars, the Jazz earned the league's best regular season record in the 2020–21 season. Following disappointing early playoff exits in 2021 and 2022, the Jazz traded Mitchell and Gobert in the 2022 offseason and entered a rebuilding era centered around Lauri Markkanen.