1988–89 Utah Jazz season

The 1988–89 NBA season was the 15th season for the Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association, and their tenth season in Salt Lake City, Utah.^[1] The Jazz had the 17th overall pick in the 1988 NBA draft, and selected center Eric Leckner from the University of Wyoming.^[2][3][4] During the off-season, the team acquired Mike Brown from the Charlotte Hornets expansion team.^[5][6]

1988–89 Utah Jazz season
Division champions
Head coach	Frank Layden (resigned) Jerry Sloan
General manager	Dave Checketts
Owner(s)	Larry H. Miller
Arena	Salt Palace
Results
Record	51–31 (.622)
Place	Division: 1st (Midwest) Conference: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finish	First round (lost to Warriors 0–3)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	KSTU Jazz Cable Network
Radio	KALL (Hot Rod Hundley, Ron Boone)
< 1987–88 1989–90 >

This season marked the arrival of assistant coach Jerry Sloan, who became a full-time head coach replacing Frank Layden, who retired from coaching after an 11–6 start to the regular season.^[7][8][9] Sloan would go on to coach the Jazz for 23 seasons, including two trips to the Finals in 1997 and 1998, and 19 playoff appearances out of 22 seasons, including 15 consecutive appearances from 1989 to 2003, and 4 more from 2007 to 2010 before he resigned midway through the 2010–11 season.

The Jazz won eight of their first ten games of the regular season, held a 28–20 record at the All-Star break,^[10] posted a 7-game winning streak in March, and finished in first place in the Midwest Division with a 51–31 record, earning the second seed in the Western Conference.^[11]

Karl Malone averaged 29.1 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, while sixth man Thurl Bailey averaged 19.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game off the bench, and John Stockton provided the team with 17.1 points, 13.2 assists and 3.2 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition, Darrell Griffith provided with 13.8 points per game, while Bob Hansen contributed 7.4 points per game in only just 46 games, and Mark Eaton averaged 6.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game, and was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year,^[12][13][14] and was also selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.^[15]

Malone, Stockton and Eaton were all selected for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas,^[16][17][18] which was Stockton's first ever All-Star appearance, and where Malone was named the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.^[19][20][21] Malone also finished in third place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Stockton finished in seventh place and Eaton finished tied in thirteenth place,^[22][23] and Bailey finished in second place in Sixth Man of the Year voting.^[24][23]

However, in the Western Conference First Round of the 1989 NBA playoffs, the Jazz were swept by the 7th-seeded Golden State Warriors in three straight games.^[25][26][27] The Jazz sold 10,153 season tickets, which was an increase of 550 from the previous season.^[28]

Draft picks

Main article: 1988 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	17	Eric Leckner	C/PF	United States	Wyoming
2	42	Jeff Moe		United States	Iowa
3	67	Ricky Grace	PG	United States	Oklahoma

Roster

1988–89 Utah Jazz roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From F 41 Thurl Bailey 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1961–04–07 NC State C 40 Mike Brown 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 257 lb (117 kg) 1963–07–19 George Washington C 53 Mark Eaton 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) 275 lb (125 kg) 1957–01–24 UCLA G 21 Jim Farmer 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1964–09–23 Alabama G 35 Darrell Griffith 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1958–06–16 Louisville G 20 Bob Hansen 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1961–01–18 Iowa F 43 Marc Iavaroni 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1956–09–15 Virginia C 45 Eric Leckner 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 265 lb (120 kg) 1966–05–27 Wyoming G 25 Jim Les 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1963–08–18 Bradley F 32 Karl Malone 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1963–07–24 Louisiana Tech F 44 José Ortiz 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 260 lb (118 kg) 1963–10–25 Oregon State G 12 John Stockton 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1962–03–26 Gonzaga

Head coach Frank Layden (resigned) Jerry Sloan Assistant(s) Phil Johnson Scott Layden Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Updated: January 15, 1989

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Utah Jazz	51	31	.622	–	34–7	17–24	19–11
x-Houston Rockets	45	37	.549	6	31–10	14–27	19–11
x-Denver Nuggets	44	38	.537	7	35–6	9–32	18–12
Dallas Mavericks	38	44	.463	13	24–17	14–27	19–11
San Antonio Spurs	21	61	.256	30	18–23	3–38	9–21
Miami Heat	15	67	.183	36	12–29	3–38	6–24

#	Western Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Los Angeles Lakers	57	25	.695	–
2	y-Utah Jazz	51	31	.622	6
3	x-Phoenix Suns	55	27	.671	2
4	x-Seattle SuperSonics	47	35	.573	10
5	x-Houston Rockets	45	37	.549	12
6	x-Denver Nuggets	44	38	.537	13
7	x-Golden State Warriors	43	39	.524	14
8	x-Portland Trail Blazers	39	43	.476	18
9	Dallas Mavericks	38	44	.463	19
10	Sacramento Kings	27	55	.329	30
11	San Antonio Spurs	21	61	.256	36
12	Los Angeles Clippers	21	61	.256	36
13	Miami Heat	15	67	.183	42

Record vs. opponents

1988-89 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIA	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	3–1	4–1	4–2	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–5	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	6–0	4–1	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1
Boston	1–3	—	6–0	1–3	1–4	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	5–1	3–3	3–3	0–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–4
Charlotte	1–4	0–6	—	1–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–4	2–4	3–3	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–5
Chicago	2–4	3–1	4–1	—	0–6	2–0	1–1	0–6	1–1	1–1	4–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	6–0	2–2	3–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–1
Cleveland	2–4	4–1	4–0	6–0	—	2–0	2–0	3–3	1–1	1–1	5–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–3	4–0	2–2	3–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2
Dallas	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	—	3–3	0–2	1–3	1–5	1–1	3–1	0–4	6–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	5–1	2–2	4–2	1–1
Denver	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–3	—	1–1	3–1	4–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	5–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	3–3	2–2	3–3	1–1
Detroit	5–1	3–1	4–0	6–0	3–3	2–0	1–1	—	1–1	1–1	4–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–4	4–0	0–4	5–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	5–0
Golden State	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	1–1	—	1–3	1–1	5–1	2–3	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–4	2–4	2–3	3–1	2–4	2–2	1–1
Houston	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–4	1–1	3–1	—	2–0	2–2	1–3	4–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	6–0	2–2	2–4	0–2
Indiana	1–5	3–2	2–2	2–4	1–5	1–1	1–1	2–4	1–1	0–2	—	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–4	1–3	0–5	0–4	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–5	2–2	1–1	—	1–5	1–3	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–5	2–3	3–1	1–4	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	4–0	3–1	0–2	3–2	3–1	2–0	5–1	—	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–3	5–0	5–1	3–1	4–2	1–3	1–1
Miami	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–6	1–5	0–2	0–4	2–4	1–1	3–1	0–4	—	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–4	0–4	1–5	0–2
Milwaukee	0–6	2–2	4–0	0–6	3–3	2–0	2–0	4–2	2–0	1–1	4–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	—	4–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1
New Jersey	1–4	1–5	4–2	2–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–4	—	2–4	1–5	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–5
New York	2–2	3–3	4–2	2–3	2–2	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	5–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–2	—	2–4	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	5–1
Philadelphia	2–2	3–3	3–3	3–1	2–3	1–1	1–1	0–5	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–3	5–1	4–2	—	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–2
Phoenix	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–1	3–1	0–2	4–2	3–1	1–1	5–1	3–3	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	—	2–3	5–1	3–1	4–1	2–2	2–0
Portland	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	4–2	1–3	0–2	5–1	0–5	4–0	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–2	—	3–3	4–0	2–4	0–4	1–1
Sacramento	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	3–2	2–2	1–1	3–2	1–5	3–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–5	3–3	—	2–2	1–5	1–3	0–2
San Antonio	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	3–3	0–2	1–3	0–6	0–2	1–3	1–3	4–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	—	0–4	1–5	1–1
Seattle	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	4–2	2–2	1–1	4–1	2–4	4–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–4	4–2	5–1	4–0	—	3–1	1–1
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	3–3	0–2	2–2	4–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	5–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	3–1	5–1	1–3	—	2–0
Washington	1–3	4–2	5–1	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–5	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–4	5–1	1–5	2–4	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	—

Game log

Regular season

1988–89 game log Total: 51–31 (home: 34–7; road: 17–24)
November: 9–4 (home: 8–1; road: 1–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 November 4 Seattle Salt Palace 0–1 2 November 9 Sacramento Salt Palace 1–1 3 November 10 @ Houston The Summit 1–2 4 November 12 @ San Antonio HemisFair Arena 2–2 5 November 15 Indiana Salt Palace 3–2 6 November 17 Portland Salt Palace 4–2 7 November 19 Phoenix Salt Palace 5–2 8 November 21 L.A. Clippers Salt Palace 6–2 9 November 23 Houston Salt Palace 7–2 10 November 25 San Antonio Salt Palace 8–2 11 November 26 @ Dallas Reunion Arena 8–3 12 November 29 @ Seattle Seattle Center Coliseum 8–4 13 November 30 Chicago W 107–93 Salt Palace 9–4
December: 8–8 (home: 5–1; road: 3–7) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 14 December 2 @ L.A. Lakers L 92–113 The Forum 9–5 15 December 3 @ Sacramento ARCO Arena 10–5 16 December 6 @ Golden State Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 10–6 17 December 7 Washington Salt Palace 11–6 18 December 9 Dallas Salt Palace 11–7 19 December 10 @ L.A. Clippers Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 12–7 20 December 12 Miami Salt Palace 13–7 21 December 14 @ Boston Boston Garden 13–8 22 December 15 @ New York Madison Square Garden 13–9 23 December 17 @ Philadelphia The Spectrum 13–10 24 December 20 @ Cleveland Richfield Coliseum 13–11 25 December 21 @ Washington Capital Centre 14–11 26 December 23 @ Miami Miami Arena 14–12 27 December 25 L.A. Lakers W 101–87 Salt Palace 15–12 28 December 28 Sacramento Salt Palace 16–12 29 December 30 Philadelphia Salt Palace 17–12
January: 9–4 (home: 3–1; road: 6–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 30 January 3 @ Houston The Summit 17–13 31 January 6 @ Chicago W 106–92 Chicago Stadium 18–13 32 January 7 @ Milwaukee Bradley Center 18–14 33 January 9 @ Charlotte Charlotte Coliseum 19–14 34 January 10 @ Miami Miami Arena 20–14 35 January 12 San Antonio Salt Palace 21–14 36 January 14 @ Golden State Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 21–15 37 January 17 @ Portland Memorial Coliseum 22–15 38 January 20 Milwaukee Salt Palace 23–15 39 January 25 @ San Antonio HemisFair Arena 24–15 40 January 26 Charlotte Salt Palace 24–16 41 January 28 New York Salt Palace 25–16 42 January 31 @ Dallas Reunion Arena 26–16
February: 8–6 (home: 7–2; road: 1–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 43 February 1 Atlanta Salt Palace 26–17 44 February 3 New Jersey Salt Palace 27–17 45 February 4 @ Denver McNichols Sports Arena 27–18 46 February 6 @ Phoenix Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 27–19 47 February 7 Miami Salt Palace 28–19 48 February 9 Dallas Salt Palace 28–20 All-Star Break 49 February 14 Denver Salt Palace 29–20 50 February 16 Boston Salt Palace 30–20 51 February 18 San Antonio Salt Palace 31–20 52 February 20 Phoenix Salt Palace 32–20 53 February 22 L.A. Lakers W 105–79 Salt Palace 33–20 54 February 24 @ Denver McNichols Sports Arena 33–21 55 February 26 @ Indiana Market Square Arena 33–22 56 February 27 @ New Jersey Miami Arena 34–22
March: 10–4 (home: 7–1; road: 3–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 57 March 1 @ Detroit L 85–96 Palace of Auburn Hills 34–23 58 March 3 @ Miami Miami Arena 35–23 59 March 5 @ Atlanta The Omni 36–23 60 March 8 Houston Salt Palace 37–23 61 March 10 Golden State Salt Palace 38–23 62 March 13 Cleveland Salt Palace 39–23 63 March 15 Portland Salt Palace 40–23 64 March 17 Miami Salt Palace 41–23 65 March 18 @ San Antonio HemisFair Arena 41–24 66 March 21 @ Seattle Seattle Center Coliseum 41–25 67 March 24 @ Houston The Summit 42–25 68 March 25 Denver Salt Palace 43–25 69 March 27 Seattle Salt Palace 44–25 70 March 29 Detroit L 104–108 Salt Palace 44–26
April: 7–5 (home: 4–1; road: 3–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 71 April 1 @ Sacramento ARCO Arena 44–27 72 April 4 Dallas Salt Palace 45–27 73 April 5 @ Phoenix Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 46–37 74 April 7 @ L.A. Lakers W 99–97 Great Western Forum 46–28 75 April 8 @ Denver McNichols Sports Arena 46–29 76 April 12 Denver Salt Palace 47–29 77 April 14 Houston Salt Palace 48–29 78 April 15 @ Portland Memorial Coliseum 49–29 79 April 17 @ L.A. Clippers Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 50–29 80 April 18 L.A. Clippers Salt Palace 50–30 81 April 21 @ Dallas Reunion Arena 50–31 82 April 22 Golden State Salt Palace 51–31
1988–89 schedule

Playoffs

1989 playoff game log
First Round: 0–3 (home: 0–2; road: 0–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 27 Golden State L 119–123 John Stockton (30) Karl Malone (13) John Stockton (14) Salt Palace 12,444 0–1 2 April 29 Golden State L 91–99 Karl Malone (37) Karl Malone (22) John Stockton (11) Salt Palace 12,444 0–2 3 May 2 @ Golden State L 106–120 John Stockton (34) Karl Malone (14) John Stockton (16) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 15,025 0–3
1989 schedule

Player statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Season

Utah Jazz statistics

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Thurl Bailey	82	3	33.9	.483	.400	.825	5.5	1.7	0.5	1.1	19.5
Mike Brown	66	16	15.9	.419	.000	.718	3.9	0.6	0.4	0.3	4.5
Mark Eaton	82	82	35.5	.462	.000	.660	10.3	1.0	0.5	3.8	6.2
Jim Farmer	37	0	11.1	.401	.450	.707	1.5	0.8	0.2	0.0	4.1
Darrell Griffith	82	73	29.0	.446	.311	.780	4.0	1.6	1.0	0.3	13.8
Bob Hansen	46	9	21.0	.437	.352	.560	2.8	1.1	0.8	0.1	7.4
Marc Iavaroni	77	50	10.3	.442	.000	.818	1.7	0.4	0.1	0.2	2.3
Bart Kofoed	19	0	9.3	.364	.000	.545	0.6	1.1	0.5	0.0	1.6
Eric Leckner	75	0	10.4	.545	.000	.699	2.7	0.2	0.1	0.3	4.3
Jim Les	82	0	9.5	.301	.071	.781	1.1	2.6	0.3	0.1	1.7
Karl Malone	80	80	39.1	.519	.313	.766	10.7	2.7	1.8	0.9	29.1
Jose Ortiz	51	15	6.4	.440	.000	.596	1.1	0.2	0.2	0.1	2.8
Scott Roth	16	0	4.5	.292	.167	.727	0.5	0.4	0.3	0.1	1.4
John Stockton	82	82	38.7	.538	.462	.863	3.0	13.6	3.2	0.2	17.1
Eric White	1	0	2.0	.000	.000	.000	0	0	0	0	0

Playoffs

Utah Jazz statistics

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Thurl Bailey	3	2	40.7	.353	.000	.800	8.3	1.0	0.3	1.3	12.0
Mike Brown	2	1	5.5	.000	.000	.000	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Mark Eaton	3	3	33.0	.471	.000	.818	11.0	0.3	0.3	0.7	8.3
Jim Farmer	2	0	1.5	.000	.000	.000	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Darrell Griffith	3	0	23.7	.408	.316	.000	4.0	0.0	1.3	0.3	15.3
Bob Hansen	3	3	41.0	.314	.333	.800	5.7	1.3	0.3	0.7	11.0
Marc Iavaroni	1	0	1.0	.000	.000	.000	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Eric Leckner	3	0	3.3	.250	.000	.000	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.7
Jim Les	3	0	1.7	.000	.000	.000	0.0	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.0
Karl Malone	3	3	45.3	.500	.000	.813	16.3	1.3	1.0	0.3	30.7
John Stockton	3	3	46.3	.508	.750	.905	3.3	13.7	3.7	1.7	27.3

Player Statistics Citation:^[15]

Awards and records

• Mark Eaton, NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
• Karl Malone, All-NBA First Team
• John Stockton, All-NBA Second Team
• Mark Eaton, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• John Stockton, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

Transactions

Trades

June 23, 1988

To Utah Jazz---- Mike Brown

To Charlotte Hornets---- Kelly Tripucka

Free agents

Player	Signed	Former team
Jim Les	October 25, 1988	Milwaukee Bucks

Subtractions
Player	Date signed	New team
Rickey Green	Expansion Draft June 23, 1988	Charlotte Hornets