1999–2000 Utah Jazz season
The 1999–2000 NBA season was the Utah Jazz's 26th season in the National Basketball Association, and 21st season in Salt Lake City, Utah. During the off-season, the Jazz signed free agent Olden Polynice, then later on signed Armen Gilliam in January. Polynice became the team's starting center, as Greg Ostertag played off the bench as a backup to Polynice. The Jazz were now the oldest team in the NBA still led by John Stockton and Karl Malone, who were both selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game, which was also Stockton's final All-Star appearance. The Jazz got off to a solid 15–7 start, which included a 7-game winning streak, but then lost six straight games between January and February, holding a 29–18 record at the All-Star break. However, they would win nine consecutive games between February and March, and recapture the Midwest Division with a solid 55–27 record, qualifying for the playoffs for the 17th straight season.
| 1999–2000 Utah Jazz season | |
|---|---|
Division champions | |
| Head coach | Jerry Sloan |
| Arena | Delta Center |
| Results | |
| Record | 55–27 (.671) |
| Place | Division: 1st (Midwest) Conference: 2nd (Western) |
| Playoff finish | Conference semifinals (lost to Trail Blazers 1–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | KJZZ-TV Fox Sports Net Utah |
| Radio | KFNZ |
Malone averaged 25.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and finished in fourth place in Most Valuable Player voting, and also reached a milestone by scoring his 30,000th point during this season. In addition, Bryon Russell averaged 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, while Jeff Hornacek contributed 12.4 points per game, Stockton provided the team with 12.1 points, 8.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and sixth man Howard Eisley contributed 8.6 points and 4.2 assists per game off the bench. On the defensive side, Polynice averaged 5.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, and Ostertag provided with 6.0 rebounds, and led the team with 2.1 blocks per game off the bench. Hornacek also won both the Three-Point Shootout, and the 2-Ball competition during the All-Star Weekend in Oakland, California.
In the playoffs, the Jazz defeated the Seattle SuperSonics three games to two in the Western Conference First Round, but would lose in five games to the Pacific champion Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Semi-finals for the second consecutive year.
Following the season, Hornacek retired ending his fourteen-year career in the NBA. Meanwhile, Gilliam also retired, while Eisley and Adam Keefe were both involved in a four-team trade; Eisley was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, and Keefe was dealt to the Golden State Warriors.