The J-Notes
Fansided

Four playoff series the Utah Jazz really should’ve won

By Ryan Aston

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - 1995: Karl Malone #32 of the Utah Jazz drives against Hakeem Olajuwon #34 of the Houston Rockets in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals as part of the 1995 NBA Playoffs at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah circa 1995. Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - 1995: Karl Malone #32 of the Utah Jazz drives against Hakeem Olajuwon #34 of the Houston Rockets in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals as part of the 1995 NBA Playoffs at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah circa 1995. Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Michael Jordan Utah Jazz Chicago Bulls 1998 NBA Finals
SALT LAKE CITY, UNITED STATES: Michael Jordan (L) and Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson (R) Most Valuable Player trophy (L) and the Larry O’Brian trophy (R) 14 June after winning game six of the NBA Finals with the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT. The Bulls won the game 87-86 to take their sixth NBA championship. (Photo credit: JEFF HAYNES/AFP/Getty Images) /

A look back at those postseason series that the Utah Jazz should’ve won, but bad luck intervened. The playoff losses that really stick in fans’ craw.

I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying that now is the best time to be a Utah Jazz fan since Karl Malone and John Stockton bid the team adieu back in 2003. With Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert rocking the hardwood and hoops genius Quin Snyder at the helm, the Jazz band are headed for big things.

As bright as the future is, though, the wounds of the past still ache for longtime fans. In other words, images of Michael Jordan pushing off on Bryon Russell still dance in our heads.

That said, and since I’m a glutton for punishment, what better time than now to dig up the injustices of Jazz past?

Sure, the Jazz have had their fair share of success. And it looks like there’s a lot more on the horizon. Neither of those things change the fact that there have been multiple instances throughout Jazz history where the team should’ve won, should’ve gone farther.

With that in mind, here are four playoff series that the Jazz really should’ve won, but didn’t because of bad luck, fluke circumstances, the will of the basketball gods, fate or some other contrivance.

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