From Deseret News archives:
Milestone victory — Sloan waiting for 1,000 no longer
The Jazz had long ago ensured what would be an eventual 101-79 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night at EnergySolutions Arena, and what remained of a sellout crowd of 19,911 fans wanted to be certain that the final few moments were all about the man about to notch his 1,000th NBA coaching victory.
Jerry Sloan's reaction to hearing "Jerry, Jerry," on the night he joined Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson, Pat Riley and Larry Brown in reaching the milestone plateau?
"That's better than hearing 'em boo me," he grumbled.
Sloan, rest assured, wanted nothing to do with the plaudits and praise.
"All the stuff that goes on with it is not what basketball is about," he said after improving his record, which includes three seasons with the Chicago Bulls and 19 now in Utah, to 1,000-663. "Never has been, as far as I'm concerned.
"It's about the players, and always will be. I just happened to be in a situation where numbers came up, and I'm still here. So, so be it."
Try telling that, though, to all of those who recognized Sloan's accomplishment in their own special way.
Mavs coach Avery Johnson did it by making it down the sideline to greet Sloan shortly after the last second ticked off, an out-of-the-ordinary gesture trumping the usual nod-and-wave that follows the conclusion of most NBA games.
"He's been doing it a long time, and I went over to congratulate him," Johnson said. "He deserves it ... He's been one of the most consistent coaches in the history of our game."
Mavs assistant and veteran NBA coach Del Harris did it by making his way toward Sloan as well, even if his efforts fell a few steps short before the Jazz coach was whisked toward Utah's locker room.
Jazz icon Frank Layden — whom Sloan replaced as head coach back on Dec. 9, 1988 — did it by interrupting Sloan's postgame news conference with a handshake and a quick congratulatory wink.
Forward Andrei Kirilenko did it by making a steal from Josh Howard that was Sloanesque in style.
"Stay in front of man, use hands to steal ball," Kirilenko said. "That's the perfect play for him... He was one of the best players when he played this way, like in 20 — how many? — 30, 40 years ago. Whatever. When he played."
Starting point guard Deron Williams did it by reaching out to referee Jim Clark and retrieving the game ball, which will be formally presented to Sloan when the Jazz — after a visit with the Clippers on Wednesday night in Los Angeles — are back home to play Sacramento on Friday night.
