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Show c4 2001-02 The Salt Lake Tribune NBA PREVIEW Sunday, October 28, 2001 same & The Players JOHN AMAECHI Position: Canter 6-10,270 Collage: Penn State Bom: Nov. 26, 1970 has coached the Jazz prenrars explanaporrpaegelomay bers fa gee in clinical chit psychology. . . Signed a four-year deal sith the Jazz during the offseason. (Coach going Jer y team’ name the conference. tonsTpereare aot ofgod JARRON COLLINS Position: FormariCertsr 611,240 College: Stanford Bom: Dec. 2, 1978 summer's Gra and then Traded ip New Jersey... . in high school, helped North Holly- we played better than lot of wood (Cal) Hancard-Weslate High to 2 66-4 record and a pair of stale files... . Played 129 games in tour years at Santor. As a senior, averaged 12.8 points and 67 re- bounds while hooting 55.8 percent fom the field. people t hought we would. Maybe wecan do it again.” Made Al-Pac-10 first team... . “Tve never once in myentire career worried about whatother people thoughtaboutus,” Stockton said.“It's neither motivated me nor uraged me — not ever.” How can the Jazz be better than last Was named an honorable menton Al-American by The Associated Press. ‘Stoan's Comment: He's got 'p De 2 guy who can give us some quality backup minutes.” JOHN CROTTY Postion: Guard 62,194 College: Virginia Bom: July 15, 1969 (Career Highlights: Spent his first three NBA seasons in Utah (1993-95)... . Between Sirts wth the Jazz, he played for five teams in five years (Cleveland, Miami, Porttand, Seattle, Detrod. Broke into pro ball with the Greenville Spinners of the Global Bas- ketal League (1991-92)... Scored a career-high 19 points twice — once with Cleveland against Miwaukee (Feb. 29, 1996) and once with Seattle against Houston (April 4, $209) Utah again will need to season, when they were in the race for the NBA’s bestrecord until late March? No.1, Stockton and Malone remain to lean on its veterans — of the game'sbest players,albeit ancient by pro sports’ standards. If they continue to defy Father Time and play as well as last season, when Malone averaged 23.2 points and Stockton Malone, Stockton ‘Sloan's Comment: “Our backup quarterback. He's got to hold the fort when we take John [Stockton] out of the game, which is a huge thing for us.” was second in the league in assists, it’s BY STEVE LUHM ANDREI KIRILENKO’ difficult to imagine the Jazz sinking out of sight in the West. THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Position: Forward 6-9,220 College: None Bom: Feb. 18, 1981 (Career Highlights: Has been playing professionally since he was 15, when he became the eeeeess ed and John,” Malone said, smiling. “A lot magine a team — three years removed from the NBA Finals and anchored by two players approaching40 — being guardedly optimistic thatitcan ‘Sydney and averaged 9.4 points on 56.4-percent in the 2001 European Championships by averaging 19.2 points and 8.7 rebounds... improveonlast season's 53-29 record. ‘Strong play in the Rocky Mountain Revue and preseason could make him rotation regular Silly, isn’t it? Afterall, the Jazz’s two best players are 39-year-old John Stockton and 38year-old Karl Malone. And Utah was beatenin thefirst roundof the playoffs last year forthefirst time since 1995 —a asa rookie ‘Sloan's Comment: “He's going to provide lot of energy for our team, a lot of enthusiasm and excitement.” QUINCY LEWIS Position: Guard/Forward 6-7,215 College: Minnesota Bom:June 26, 1977 ‘Career Highlights: Arkansas player of the year as a senior at Little Rock Parkview High. . Averaged 12.7 points in 127 games at Minnesota... . . Led the Big Ten in scoring as a senior (23.1)... ‘Averaged 25.5 points in conferencepla. . . Was finalist for the Wooden and Naismith awards... . Played in just 35 games last season for the Jazz after Playing in 74 games as a rookie... . Averaged 3.5 points and 1.3 points in 11.1 minutes. "Was not on Utah's playoft roster last. ‘spring. clear sign to almosteveryonethat the “Youalways think your team can be better,” Donyell Marshall said. “You don’t know until youstart the season,” Bryon Russell said, “and wehavelot ofstuff to work on. here.” Certainly,the Jazz are notused to the kind of un- KARL MALONE Position: Forward 6-9, 256 College: Louisiana Tech Bom: July 24, 1963 happy season many are Career Highlights: A two-time Most Valuable Player (1997, 1999)... . The No. 2 scorer road ofsuccess, Stockton has been the quarterback — justas he will be Tuesday night whenthe Jazz open the regular seasonat the Delta Center against Milwaukee. They must cut one more player tM Moniay afternoontofinalize the 12- dance is nearly overfor the Jazz. Butwe havethepotential to be great. There is lotof talent ‘Sloan's Comment: “A guy who can make shots.Hopefully, a guy who can do that a lot for us.” Jazz have averaged 55 victories. Theyhavepieced together 16 con‘secutive winning seasons, and have not missed theplayoffs since 1983. Mostof the way alongthatincredible in NBA history with 32,919 points. . Trails Kareem AbdulJabbar (38,387) by 5,468 points... . Scored more than 2,000 points in 11 straight seasons — an NBA record.. me pacethink youcan evertell what will end up happening,” Stockton said. “Health is always important. And guys have to come and deliver every night — young andold alike.” Stay healthy and play with consistenteffc The TeeEars doneit before, amatey expect it from themselves “If everybody comes out anddoes their job,” Malonesaid, “we'll be just fine. Butif they don’t, we'll have a worse record than last In 163 playotf games, he has averaged 26 6 points, 11.1 rebounds and3.1 assists... .He has missed seven games in his. 16-year career — three because of injury and four via year. Then every- suspension. — Has scored 30 points or more 414 times. . ... Career high: 61 points in bodycan say, 1990. ‘Told you the sJazaaregeting ‘Sloan's Comment: “He's got to do a lot for us — nothing's changed about that.” “Malone does not want DONYELL MARSHALL Position: Forward 6-9, 230 College: Connecticut Bom: May 18, 1973 Career Highlights: Was the No. 4 pick in the 1994 draft (Minnesota). to ponder thatpossibili- . Traded to Golden State midway through his rookie season for Tom Gugiiotta. . . . Acquired by the “It's Jaz before 2000-01 season in a three-team trade that also involved Howard Eisley (Dal- las) and Adam Keefe (Golden State)... . In his49 starts, he averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds. . . . In his first playoff series last spring against Dallas, averaged 10.4 points and 7.4 rebounds. . . Finished eighth in the league in field-goal percentage (503) Sloan's Comment: “He can play big or small [forward] and that helps us. played as well as anyone in the preseason.” He's Karl Malone is second on the NBA'sall-time 4 scoring list, trailing _ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. GREG OSTERTAG Position: Center 7-2,280 College: Kansas Bom:March 6, 1973 Career Highlights: Left Kansas in 1995 as the leading shot-blocker (258) in Big Eight Conference history... Has averaged 5.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.95 blocks in 407 NBA games... . Has missed only four games in the last three years. In Game of the 1997 conference finals at Houston, he had 16 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots to help Utah reach its first NBA Finals. . . Annually serves as host of the Greg Ostertag Charity Golf Classic in Lawrence,Kan., to benefit the American Lung Association. Stoan's Comment: saSe te fae feos rie On ae ‘We can't give up easy baskets. SCOTT PADGETT Position: Forward 6-9, 240 College: Kentucky Bom: April 19, 1976 Career Highlights: Played in 122 games during four years at Kentucky, where he aver- aged 103 points and 6.3 rebounds. . . In is junior year, he scored 17 pointsinthe azz forward Karl Malone says he’s aware of how close heis to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA scoring, unaware offorecasts about the Jazz forthe 2001-02 season and unconcerned about Michael Jordan’s return to the league. These andothersentiments were expressed in an interview with Salt Lake Tribune sportswriter Steve Luhm,in advance of Malone’s 17th NBA season — and Luhm’s 16th year on the Jazz beat. scary,” he said. “You don’t want to let those people to think they’re right.” CORR Karl Malone ‘Stoan's Comment: “He can play a couple of positions, and his outside shooting is something he can give us,” Position: Guard/Forward 6-7,225 College: Long Beach State Bom: Dec. 31, 1970 Career Highlights: A former second-round draft pick (45th overall)... . Has missed only ee anything like that. @So, how do youfeel head! oe into another season? A: ie hebNee lot of scorer (12.0).. . Ranks third on the team’s all+ime lst for three-point field goals (463), eeee Didn't play organized basketball (Oth grade. training camy going to have some thalea Butir's feeling Seah commend iu Gi nace Our best utility player. A huge part of our team.” good right now. JOHN STARKS Position: Guard 6-5, 185 College: Oklahoma State Bom: Aug. 10, 1965 Career Highlights: Played in 75 of 82 games last season... . . Averaged 9.3 points, but shot only 39.8 percent. Has averaged 13.2 points in 800 games during his 12-year career... . A former member of the NBA's All-Delensive team, he won the Soth Man rach altel speed can? ~> Careray 16h ontheabe itfr rN 193). y\: 4, 1994. HpacSpal genes wage Ma oe to be ableto play with my kids and do beshinmathinltlss tecdhe on, there might be Tins hoalowtanIfI can't, I can't. became the youngest player to ever start for the Jazz (Nov. 18, 2000 against Chicago). And I'll say one more thing. If my mom needs me,I might miss a game because ofthat, too.” * @& Your mother has had some health _ Averaged30:4 points, 9.7 elo lat oaHelena cto erecta: situation like itself? A: “Welost my mother-in-law — ; Kay's mom —- last year. Now, my mom Position: Guard 6-1, 175 College: Gonzaga Bom: March 26, 1962 Career Highlights: The NBA's all-time leader in assists (14,503) and steals (2.976)... . AI-NBA first team twice and AI-NBA second team six times... . A 10-ime All-Star, indluding co-MVP of the game with Karl Malone in 1993... - Played on two gold-medal 1996)... lst year (8:7 pr game), ard as ld tho NBAa rcord-otingnie tes. . Career among guards ), Maurice Cheeks (.523) and Magic Johnson (,520). St Comet pon tal Http ani ¢ At center, Greg Ostertag returns, but Olden Polynice does not. Most ofthose minutes will go to free-agentsignee John Amaechi, a better scorer than Polynice. Again, the Jazz like the new look. “We're still exploring a little bit with John,” Sloan said, “but it looks like he'll be ableto get us somebaskets inside.” Atpoint guard, JohnCrotty ii s taking overthe job as Stockton’s primary backupfrom Jacque Vaughn, who went to Atlanta via free agency when Utah didn't try to re-sign him. ears the Jazz feel more comfortable with Crotty. Again,they prefer ie set-up than the one used last seaso} “John will get oti into your offense,” Sloan said. Kirilenko, Amaechi and Three new players in Sloan's rotation. Three apparentimprovements. Along with the Stockton-Malone- Marshall-Russell core, that’s why the Jazz are hopeful this season won't be the one whentheyfinally stumble and fall — nolonger a contender,no longerformidable, no longer a dangerto the league’s best team. thought about[breaking]that record. . . For all the people that always said aboutme,‘He’s not good enough,’ I think aboutit.” _ @What happens ifyou become ‘xe alltime leading scorer, but still never wina ena Will that bother you — people remembering yourfa 5, not your accomplishments? A: “NoIn my mind,that won't deter- not? A:“That'shis thing, not mine.... But I was kind ofsurprised, to be honest. I Mailman Ein Ts rte coune beck afer all is time.” e WH he Stil be one cftne grione’s best “by Steve Luhm [for a championship?Is that realistic? essndon'tLeow. Tain’t been with mom,you know?So all I can say right nowis I expect big things out of myself and we'll go from there.. . . I'm notjust playing for a paycheck, and I never will. ‘The minute theytell me I'm playing for a paycheckand nothing else,that’s when I don’t wantto be here. You oweit to yourself and thesfans to alwaysbe playing for 90 percent of the people who writethat probably have to heepplaying ata high other 10 percent have been Utah Jazz go away for a long, som oeJer eee Sern 2a ‘stuffnever played basketball, and erm still do that?After all, now.But we never do, we?” Sodsb seas ie hen they retire. I want I ripodand Aleta - Placed second to Seattle's Desmond Mason inthe NBA Slam shooting percentage of 517 places him fourth ars oe NeRE £98 NTEPOT back gets worse A: tis Rave wait ieee But! will saythis. I've always played with the bse too much aboutplaying through — injuries, But I want whatevery- DESHAWNSTEVENSON Position: Guard 6-5,210 College: None Born:Api 3, 1981 Career Highlights: Second-year from WeWashington Union High in Fresno, .. At 19, he JOHN STOCKTON (“i taedanglin lyesinil mapadeesberr| their season ended? Otherwise, you would thoughtof pleasing other people.I've worked hard at playing and never ‘Stoan's Comment: “He has an ability to get off shots and can be an asset to us defensively.” Susu tn fees ceorarardlatone eee ee en eee @ Yourback was exiremely sored: ing Game 5 oflastyear’splayoffseries Dallas. In a weird way, was it ButKirilenkois a muchbetter defender, rebounder, shot-blocker and passer. Sen eeeae les comebacks i ? A “Don’tcare,really.” QUESTION:You had an unusually kind ofmoves they were making or not seithis youth, that seems to be a nice . Manning had more experience aprobablya better 18-foot jumpshot. te @Ofcourse, Michael Jordan and the Bulls prevented youfrom winning a championship in 1997 and 1998. What is saw Iplan everything I do, I five games since 1995-96. . In 12 NBA Finals appearances, he has averaged 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds while making 38.2 percentof his three-point shots... . Made a career-high 41.3 percent of his three-pointers last season, when he was the Jazz’s No. 3 Danny Manning on the Jazz’s roster and, because I knowI laidit outthere every low-key summer, Did you planit that somebusiness things I wanted to do. ‘That took up most of my time. It was the first time in my careerI didn’t worry aboutwhatthe Jazz were doing — what 9.3 points in eight exhibition games. Kirilenkoreplaces sore-kneed veteran Somepeople might think so. But not me, wanted a low-key summer. There were BRYON RUSSELL who was 34ieten Stockton was a rookie in the NBA, has turned heads in the pre- season. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged mine whatkindof player I am or what ofcareerI've had — when it’s over. Wildcats’ come-trom-behind win over theUniversity of Utah in the NCAA game... . Has played sparingly in his first two seasons with the Jazz... . active roster for the playotts. Scored a career-high 16 poinis against Golden State fers 2000)... Grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds against Sacramento (Nov. 12, of it will depend on whatwedo,even though we're 38 and 39 years old.” Beyond Stockton and Malone,the Jazz could get a big lift from someone on the other spectrum. Twenty-year- q gets sick,kind ofsuddenly. But this is ea ee eee stuffout, pretty much. . Even though basketball is just a game —a pretty expeniv it's job.” i OK.I ferback me be So she's here with us now for a while.” & Whatabout theJazz?Can they con- AS ASeaughsl, Yeah, I'm 38. You don’t have to remind me.ButI think I can still play [well]. And I think I'll be able to play [well] until I retire. ... When you get to thisoi n your careersallabout thing I've had since I was a little boy, and it's something I'll always have.’ @ You have twoyears left on your con- trac but if would probably take at least three seasons to Kareem AbdulJabbarand become the NBA'sall-time leading scorer, Ifyou arecloseenough to Kareem when your contract expires — say within 500points — wouldyou play one moreyear so you couldpass him? A: “Withoutbeing corny and without it being an individual thing only, with- A: “How about 9-117. .. As tragic as that was, I hope come om andfe ‘way even |
