The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz: the 5 greatest individual seasons in franchise history

By Nathan Smith

Jeff Hornacek (L), John Stockton (C) and Karl Malone (R) of the Utah Jazz watch the final seconds of game three of their Western Conference semi-final against the Portland Trail Blazers 22 May 1999 at the Rose Garden in Portland OR. The Trail Blazers beat the Jazz 97-87 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Robert SULLIVAN (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Jeff Hornacek (L), John Stockton (C) and Karl Malone (R) of the Utah Jazz watch the final seconds of game three of their Western Conference semi-final against the Portland Trail Blazers 22 May 1999 at the Rose Garden in Portland OR. The Trail Blazers beat the Jazz 97-87 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Robert SULLIVAN (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Pete Maravich vs Los Angeles Lakers (Photo by Ross Lewis/Getty Images). /

3. ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich – 1977

Pistol Pete Maravich is considered one of the greatest scorers in early NBA history, and with his signature flair and style, he’s become remembered in the annals of NBA history, especially in the hearts of Jazz fans everywhere. His shooting abilities were way ahead of his time, and at his peak in 1977, he managed to put up an astounding 31 PPG to go along with 5 boards and 5 assists, for a New Orleans Jazz team that wasn’t very successful throughout their 5 year tenure in the league.

At a time that really favoured the big men, Maravich managed to stand out and make his mark for a Jazz team that ultimately failed to find success against the likes of LA, New York and Milwaukee. If Maravich were to enter the NBA today, he’d fit right in with the likes of Steph Curry, but even though his prime was over 40-years ago, in a short time with the Jazz, he was able to forge a legacy that is still talked about and respected today.

Pistol Pete is still a name that comes up today when it comes to early legends in the NBA, and given his short stint with the Jazz, it’s an even bigger testament to just how incredible he was, and while his whole run saw him improve and try his best to put this team on the map, it was 1977 that solidified his place among legends in the NBA community.