How else could this crazy series end? After five games of unpredictable twists and turns and swings from one team to the other, the season came down to one last shot for the Jazz and Phoenix. When the Suns' Kevin Johnson drilled a straightaway, wide-open jump shot from just outside the free-throw line in the last second Sunday afternoon, another long Jazz summer was just starting.
After Karl Malone's jumper had tied the game, Johnson gave the Suns a 104-102 victory in a nationally-televised, deciding Game 5 in the Salt Palace, sending them into a best-of-seven series with the Los Angeles Lakers.The Jazz can only spend the offseason wondering about losing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. They'd surprisingly changed the look of the series by winning Game 4 in Phoenix Friday and controlling the Game 5 most the way, but everything went back the Suns' way late in the game. "We just had a good last couple of minutes," said Johnson.
By now, the Jazz are accustomed to these early playoff exits. They've qualified as experts on the subject of post-series feelings, so the popular interviewing issue in the locker room Sunday was what hurts more: Losing three straight games to a weaker team, like last season against Golden State? Or having a high-level team like the Suns down and almost out?
"About the same," observed Mark Eaton.
"Harder to swallow," Malone said of the latest series.
"This was less disappointing because we gave 'em a fight; more disappointing because we could have won," said John Stockton. "We had it in our fingertips."
The Golden State series was shockingly short, but this ending came even more suddenly. Johnson's shot was up and down fast. "Unlike some we've watched, where the balls seems like it's sitting above the rim, waiting to fall through," noted Stockton.
The Lakers probably welcome the Jazz-Suns outcome, considering the Jazz took them to seven games in an '88 series, while the Lakers swept the Suns last May in the Western Conference semifinals. The Jazz's loss, meanwhile, comes complete with an offseason of uncertainty. While still looking for money to build his new arena, owner Larry Miller continually denies reports that he's considering selling any or all of the franchise. In personnel, the Jazz face decisions about players like veteran Darrell Griffith, a free agent who wandered around the court after the game before finally entering the locker room, crying.
"Everybody's subject to evaluation," said one player.
Before the series, Malone suggested losing would demand changes, but the Mailman had no message to the front office afterward. "That's out of my league," said Malone, whose five Jazz teams have won 42, 44, 47, 51 and 55 regular-season games - and one playoff series.
So the Jazz have roughly six months to sort everything out before trying again in '90-91 - possibly, opening the season against the Suns in Tokyo, Japan.
After each team won once on the road through four games of the series, anything could have happened Sunday. Malone, always the first Jazzman to report for a game, was the last to arrive, worrying his teammates. Thurl Bailey, steady all series long, suddenly tossed up 29 shots, making 11 in scoring 26 points, the same as Malone. Utah resident Tom Chambers shook out of a slump for 32 points, half coming on 16 of 16 free throws, while the Jazz were making 15 of 26. And the Jazz lost only seven turnovers, but two of them were fourth-quarter killers - Malone's no-look pass off the backboard with the Jazz up by 10, and Bailey's pass off Malone's knee with them leading by one in the last minute.
"Stupid mistakes," allowed Bailey.
For three-plus quarters, the Jazz ruled the game. Phoenix led 23-22 after one quarter, but that was with Stockton on the bench for nine minutes with foul trouble. Never quite able to build the lead past seven points, the Jazz settled for a 53-49 halftime edge.
The third quarter was mostly the same story, with Phoenix cutting the lead to 76-74 on a last-second, in-bounds lob to Tim Perry.
In the final quarter, the Jazz charged ahead by 10 with a Blue Edwards jumper, steals by Malone and Griffith that led to easy scores for Edwards, Griffith's 3-pointer and Malone's jumper. Inside of seven minutes left, they had a nine-point lead and the ball.
While Chambers led the Suns' comeback, the Jazz suddenly struggled to score. "Utah questioned themselves a little bit," said the Suns' Johnson.
With Malone benched briefly with five fouls, the Jazz went through a stretch when they managed only three points on 10 possessions - and the only basket in nine shots was Bailey's little hook, after Mark West blocked Malone's shot in the lane, for a 98-94 lead with 2:24 left.
Jeff Hornacek missed for Phoenix and Malone almost buried the Suns when he wheeled across the lane, but his running shot went in and out. Chambers made two free throws, giving him 10 straight Suns' points.
After West blocked a Stockton shot, Stockton forced a jump with Johnson and controlled the tap with a second swat, but Johnson chased down the ball and fed Eddie Johnson for a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:00 left - and more lead changes to come.
Quickly, Bailey hit a hook and Eddie Johnson lost the ball out of bounds on a drive with 47 seconds left. Bailey forced a pass to Malone, with Kevin Johnson recovering. Off a fast break, Eddie Johnson banked in a tough, outside shot while being fouled by Bobby Hansen, and made the free throw for a 102-100 edge. With 14.9 seconds left, Malone buried his tying 20-footer, leaving the Suns the chance to win or tie.
Kevin Johnson drove down the left side of the lane and fed Mike McGee, who passed back to Johnson, left open by Stockton's move tohelp on McGee. "I thought (McGee) might take the shot," said Johnson. Still, Johnson was ready and waiting for his own shot.
Out of full timeouts, the Jazz had only eighth-tenths of a second left and all 94 feet to cover. Malone looked for a long pass, but settled for passing to Stockton just behind halfcourt. Stockton's heave was on line but short. End of series, end of season.
In the end, the Jazz's only achievement was winning Game 4 in Phoenix, where they'd lost 10 straight games and seemed doomed in the series. "Game 4 was big for us, personally," said Eaton. "This was the real Jazz, the last two games." Complete with losing in the first round.