2000-01 Utah Jazz Record: 53-29, Lost in Western Conference First Round vs Dallas Mavericks 2-3
As far as the John Stockton and Karl Malone era was concerned, 2000-01 was not one of its most inspiring seasons. That was probably to be expected, with Stockton in his age 38 season and Malone being a mere year his junior.
The regular season, evidently, went quite well. The Jazz finished the season with an Offensive Rating of 107.6, good for third in the NBA. Karl Malone (23.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists) looked like roughly the player that Utah Jazz fans had grown to love. Stockton was a half step slower, but his per game averages of 11.5 points and 8.7 assists still made him one of the top point guards in the National Basketball Association.
Meanwhile, veteran role players like Bryon Russell, John Starks and Greg Ostertag assisted the cause. All that experience contributed to a wonderful regular season, but it was age that caught up to the 2000-01 Jazzmen. They couldn’t handle a run-and-gun Mavericks squad that had been fourth in the NBA in pace behind the play of a dynamic Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash pairing.