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Why does Karl get all the blame?

MrBlue

MrBlue

Member
I posted a blog post at https://worriedsports.blogspot.com about why Karl Malone gets all the blame for choking away the Jazz's two finals appearances. Spurned on by Dirk and LeBron talk these past few weeks.

Also brought on after reading Hollingers list of the greatest playoff series of all-time: https://sports.espn.go.com/nba/play...umnist=hollinger_john&page=greatestseries-1-5 Jazz are #'s 2 and 5.

Karl Malone's Finals stats
24.4 ppg 10.4 rpg 3.6 apg 47%FG 67%FT

John Stockton's Finals stats
12.3 ppg 3.3 rpg 8.8 apg 49.5%FG 81% FT
 
MrBlue said:
I posted a blog post at https://worriedsports.blogspot.com about why Karl Malone gets all the blame for choking away the Jazz's two finals appearances. Spurned on by Dirk and LeBron talk these past few weeks.

Also brought on after reading Hollingers list of the greatest playoff series of all-time: https://sports.espn.go.com/nba/play...umnist=hollinger_john&page=greatestseries-1-5 Jazz are #'s 2 and 5.

Karl Malone's Finals stats
24.4 ppg 10.4 rpg 3.6 apg 47%FG 67%FT

John Stockton's Finals stats
12.3 ppg 3.3 rpg 8.8 apg 49.5%FG 81% FT
Click to expand...

We got tired of blaming the refs and Jordan I guess. He missed some big free throws and let Jordan steal the ball after a rebound for an easy basket as I remember.
 
jazzrule said:
We got tired of blaming the refs and Jordan I guess.
Click to expand...

It sucks, but MJ was better at cheating than Utah was. If he hadn't made those two illegal plays Utah would very likely have overwhelmed that Bulls team.

Utah was very, very good at cheating at the time.
 
Where were the big shots down the stretch in those games?

I can think of a few he hit in Game 5 in Chicago the last finals series, but that's about it.
He had a monster half in game 6, only to choke at the end.
 
Because blaming Stockton would be consider blasphemy. I never understood all the Karl hate because Karl carried the team for the most part. If Dick Bavetta knew how to tell time then Jazz fans would have been rejoicing instead of talking about what ifs.

As much as Karl "choking", there were several games that Stockton was shut down by Scottie Pippen but people tend to forget that because of the "steal".
 
Revolution 9 said:
Where were the big shots down the stretch in those games?

I can think of a few he hit in Game 5 in Chicago the last finals series, but that's about it.
He had a monster half in game 6, only to choke at the end.
Click to expand...

I laugh when they say Karl choked in the end of Game 6. He choked because he looked to his left for Horny to cut back towards him? Karl did not choke in Game 6. Michael just made a great play. I won't argue that Malone choked at the line in Game 1 of the '97 series, but to say he choked in Game 6 of '98 is just wrong.
 
cowhide said:
If Dick Bavetta knew how to tell time then Jazz fans would have been rejoicing instead of talking about what ifs.
Click to expand...

...exactly! That was a 6 point swing...the 3 we should have gotten....and the 3 points the Bull's DID get! No question, if we could have forced a game 7 we would have won that series. Pippen was hurt, Jordan was worn out....and we had all the momentum!
 
The Jazz lost two hard-fought finals series against a team who won 6 NBA titles. Not only that, in the 2nd series Bavetta did cost Utah the chance at a game 7 home game. Hate to play the ref card, but I think that one is fairly obvious.

I don't think the Jazz or any of their players "choked" away either of those series. They were playing quite possibly the best dynasty in NBA history. Yes, Karl's Free Throws lost us game 1 of the first series and having a finals average of 67% on FT's is somewhat damning, but I really don't see him as the scapegoat for either of those losses. In fact, I remember the game in Chicago where Malone personally carried that series back to Utah.

Utah just faced a better team.
 
Why Karl gets the blame is obvious. He was a 2 time MVP. He was the one who was always talking. He was the public face of the franchise. He wanted attention and loved the spotlight. You can't have it both ways. That is not right or wrong but it was who Karl was. Stock played the public persona part just the opposite.
 
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