26 Years Ago: John Stockton Sends Utah Jazz To NBA Finals

May 29, 2023, 10:00 AM

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY – 26 years ago, basketball fans in the Beehive State celebrated after NBC’s Greg Gumbel declared, “John Stockton sends the Utah Jazz to the NBA Finals.”

On May 29, 1997, the Rockets hosted the Jazz for Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. Utah entered the matchup with a 3-2 series lead.

With less than three seconds remaining on the game clock and the game tied 100-100, Karl Malone set a screen near the top of the three-point arc to create an open space for Stockton. Bryon Russell inbounded the ball to Stockton, who took one dribble toward the hoop and rose up for a shot over Rockets forward Charles Barkley.

Stockton’s shot sailed through the cylinder as time expired to give Utah a 103-100 victory and a 4-2 win in the series.

Never forget when John Stockton sent the @utahjazz to the 1997 NBA Finals with this buzzer-beater! 👌 pic.twitter.com/TGhhdO7UtR

— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 26, 2020

After the shot, Stockton’s teammates and coaches ran to mid-court to celebrate the franchise’s first trip to the NBA Finals.

Stockton finished the contest with 25 points and 13 assists. Malone posted 24 points and 11 rebounds. Jeff Hornacek chipped in 18 points, while Greg Ostertag added 16 points and 14 rebounds. Russell recorded 15 points.

The Jazz went on to face the Chicago Bulls in the Finals. After losing the opening two games of the championship series, the Jazz even things up with victories in Games 3 and 4. The Bulls bounced back with two consecutive wins to defeat the Jazz and win the NBA title.

A year later, Utah and Chicago met again in the NBA Finals. Once again, the Bulls took the title with a 4-2 series win.

The two straight trips to the Finals still remain as Utah’s only appearances in the championship series.

🚨🚨🚨

“JOHN STOCKTON SENDS THE @UTAHJAZZ TO THE NBA FINALS❗️❗️❗️”#NBATogetherLive #TissotBuzzerBeater pic.twitter.com/oy0YJd9mwL

— NBA (@NBA) May 30, 2020