Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena
Vivint Arena has gone through several different names, but it has been the home of the Utah Jazz since it opened in 1991. The arena has hosted several notable events, including the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and the 2002 Winter Olympics.
The exterior of the arena features statues of point guard John Stockton and forward Karl Malone, who are widely considered the two best players in Jazz franchise history. Stockton spent his entire 19-year career in Utah, while Malone spent 18 years with the Jazz.
Utah Jazz 2022-23 Team Info
Conference: Western
Division: Northwest
Year Founded: 1974
Team Colors: Key Black, Spotlight Yellow, Gray, Purple
Utah Jazz History
The Jazz joined the NBA in 1974 as an expansion franchise in New Orleans. They quickly traded for a local favorite--point guard "Pistol" Pete Maravich, who went to college at Louisiana State. Maravich played an entertaining style and won the NBA scoring title in the 1976-77 season, but his stats didn't translate into team success.
Logistical issues plagued the team while it was in New Orleans. In their original stadium, the court was raised so high above the ground that a net had to be installed around it to prevent players from injuring themselves if they fell off the side. The team also had to spend a month on the road every year while the city of New Orleans celebrated Mardi Gras.
The franchise only spent five years in New Orleans, never finishing with a winning record. The Jazz moved to Utah for the 1979-80 season, and they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 1983-84.
The season after their first playoff berth, the Jazz selected point guard John Stockton with the No. 16 pick in the NBA Draft. The following year, they selected forward Karl Malone with the No. 13 pick. They became one of the best duos in NBA history and anchored the most successful period in franchise history.
The Jazz qualified for the playoffs in 20 consecutive seasons and won 50 or more regular season games in 11 of those seasons. Malone won the NBA MVP Award twice, in 1997 and 1999, and Stockton broke Magic Johnson's career assist record in 1995. He finished his career with 15,806 assists, a record that's unlikely to ever be broken.
The Jazz advanced to the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons in 1996-97 and 1997-98, but they faced Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls both times. The Bulls beat them in six games each year.
The Jazz have not been back to the finals since, but they have maintained a consistent level of success. They have missed the playoffs just eight times in the last 35 years, finishing the 2020-21 regular season with the best record in the NBA.
