Without Jordan, the Jazz might have a championship, which is a pity

On June 11, in the history of the NBA, many teams missed the championship because of the existence of one person, and the Utah Jazz are undoubtedly the most regrettable representative of them. In 1997 and 1998, the Jazz made the finals for two consecutive years, but both fell in front of Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls. Without Jordan, the Jazz might have already won the O'Brien Cup and become the king of that era. The Jazz reached the peak of team history in the mid-to-late 1990s. The combination of Carl Malone and John Stockton is hailed as one of the most perfect duo in the league. Malone is one of the most dominant power forwards in the league, his strength and scoring ability make his opponents frightened; Stockton is one of the greatest point guards in history, with his passing and leadership skills unmatched. With the assistance of powerful players such as Jeff Hornersek, the Jazz has become a strong team with balanced offense and defense.

In the 1996-97 season, the Jazz achieved the best record in the league with 64 wins and 18 losses, and Malone was also elected as the regular season MVP for his outstanding performance. In the playoffs, they passed the game and defeated the Clippers, Lakers and Rockets one after another, and entered the Finals for the first time in team history. Facing the defending champion Bulls, the Jazz showed tenacious fighting spirit. Especially in the first game of the series, Malone made both free throws at the last moment, helping the Jazz narrowly defeat the Bulls 88-85, making a good start. However, in the subsequent games, Jordan's magical performance left the Jazz helpless. In the fifth famous "Flu Battle", Jordan scored 38 points with illness, including a key three-pointer in the last moment, helping the Bulls win 90-88. In the end, the Jazz lost 2-4 and missed the championship. In the 1997-98 season, the Jazz made a comeback and entered the finals with a record of 62 wins and 20 losses. This time, the Bulls they faced had already shown fatigue, and Pippen's back injury and Rodman's decline in form made the Bulls' dominance decline. However, Jordan is still the insurmountable mountain. In the sixth game of the finals, the Jazz led at home, one step away from dragging the series into a tiebreak. However, Jordan completed one of the greatest winning shots in NBA history at the last moment. He first stole Malone, then knocked Byron Russell down with 5.2 seconds left in the game, hit a jump shot, helping the Bulls narrowly win 87-86, completing the second three-game championship. The Jazz once again became the background board, watching the championship slip away from their fingertips.

Without Jordan, the Jazz would have a chance to win the championship in the past two years. In 1997, except for the Bulls, no other team in the league could compete with the Jazz. Although the Rockets in the West have Olajuwon and Drexler, they have passed their peak period; the Heat and Knicks in the East lack sufficient firepower. In 1998, the Bulls' aging became more obvious, and the Jazz's dominance in the West was stronger. They are likely to beat the Pacers or other Eastern teams in the finals to achieve their dream of winning the championship. The failure of the Jazz is not only due to bad luck, but also a reflection of Jordan's personal ability and leadership temperament. His calmness and decisiveness at critical moments are incomparable to the Jazz. Although great, Malone and Stockton lack the killer instinct of one blow on the finals stage. Malone, in particular, had free throws in the first game of the 1997 Finals and a turnover in the sixth game of the 1998 Finals, became the stain on his career. The tragedy of the Jazz also reflects a common phenomenon in NBA history: great players are often able to determine the pattern of an era. Just like the Celtics and Lakers in the 1980s monopolized the championship because of Bird and the Magic, the Jazz, Pacers, Knicks and other powerful teams in the 1990s were unable to reach the top because of Jordan. This helplessness of "if you give birth to Yu, why do you give birth to Liang" has become a regret for many teams and players' careers.

However, this history of the Jazz is also worthy of respect. They entered the finals for two consecutive years, demonstrating the team's cohesion and tenacious fighting spirit. Although the combination of Malone and Stockton did not win the championship, their tacit understanding and persistence have become classics in NBA history. Jazz fans have never forgotten those brilliant years, and even without a championship, they are still proud of the team's performance.

Today, the Jazz are still working hard for the first championship in team history. Today in 2025, when we look back on that history, we can’t help but wonder: Without Jordan, would the Jazz’s fate be completely different? Perhaps, this is the charm of competitive sports - full of infinite possibilities and eternal regrets.