Jazz observe anniversary with retro-night jerseys

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan remembers them as days when the lapels on his sports coats were wide enough to use as hankies. Assistant coach Phil Johnson recalls sporting mutton chops and wearing leisure suits — neither of which, thankfully, still is in style.

The years were 1979-80, the Bee Gees and Gloria Gaynor were hot, and the 24-58 Jazz were playing their first season at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City after relocating from New Orleans.

Tonight, it all returns.

Well, most of it . . .

"I don't know where my gold necklace is," Johnson said.

In recognition of their 25 years in Utah, the Jazz are turning back the clock for tonight's home game against Miami.

Jazz players will wear retro jerseys from that '79-80 season — one in which Adrian Dantley averaged a team-high 28 points, the late Pete Maravich appeared in 17 games, current broadcast analyst Ron Boone was a double-digit scorer, both John Stockton and Karl Malone were kids merely dreaming of playing in the NBA, and current Utah youngsters Andrei Kirilenko, Raul Lopez, Curtis Borchardt, Sasha Pavlovic, DeShawn Stevenson and Mo Williams were not even born.

Throwback T-shirts also will be distributed to the first 5,000 fans through the doors, soda and certain snack concessions will be discounted to $1, and entertainment will be old-school.

Fortunately, though, that's where it ends.

"No," guard Raja Bell said. "No tight shorts."

Three other retro nights are planned this season at the Delta Center: Feb. 4 vs. Chicago, March 5 vs. Indiana and March 31 vs. New Orleans.

SLOAN ABSENT: The Jazz practiced Wednesday without Sloan, who accompanied his wife, Bobbye, to Indianapolis for a visit with a cancer specialist.

Bobbye Sloan, 60, was diagnosed last week with a malignant tumor in her pancreas.

Jerry Sloan planned to miss this morning's shootaround, and it was uncertain if his flight back to Salt Lake would arrive in time for him to coach tonight. If not, top-assistant Johnson will run the team, as he typically does when Sloan is absent.

NOT CLOSE: According to a tally update released earlier this week, none of the Jazz's three ballot candidates — Kirilenko, injured Matt Harpring and Greg Ostertag — stand a chance at winning a starting position via fan voting for next month's NBA All-Star Game.

HE'S BACK: Reserve guard Williams was back at practice Wednesday, two days after sitting out due to a slight ankle sprain.

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com