Commentary: Utah Jazz history has been littered with 'shocking' moments

Still, nothing competes with the shock and despair of the last game of the Michael Jordan/Bulls era as all hopes of winning a championship in 1998 ended with one good look at the basket, and a brackish Bulls win. In a moment all the momentum, and all hope, was swished away. Fans were stunned. And each dealt in his or her own way with the crushing heartbreak that would last all summer. The game was viewed by a record breaking 72 million people. Many thought that Jordan had pushed off Russell and should have been called for a foul. “Whether he pushed off or not, he was making the shot,” Russell admitted once the sting of the game had faded. The shock of this one moment, this one basket, is forever frozen in Jazz history as the championship that got away.

But shock, in some cases, can get a heart beating, pounding! The most shocking, unbelievable moment in Jazz history occurred when John Stockton hit the three point shot at the buzzer against the Houston Rockets in 1997 to send his team and the state of Utah to the NBA Finals for the first time. “I just feel so happy we got that done.” Stockton said after the game, holding back emotion.

The state celebrated like never before. “I felt like we finally made it over the roadblock,” Jazz fan Stacy Hock said, “and what better person to show the world what the Jazz could really do than John Stockton,” Screams and cheers, hugs and laughter, mixed with high emotion and a dose of relief, fans everywhere cherished the shock and awe of a moment that will never be forgotten.

Amy Wilde is a writer living in Brigham City, Utah. You can follow her blog at http://amywildeatmosphere.blogspot.com/, or e-mail her at wilde.amy@gmail.com.