1991–92 Utah Jazz season

The 1991–92 NBA season was the Jazz's 18th season in the National Basketball Association, and 13th season in Salt Lake City, Utah.[1] It was also their first season playing at the Delta Center.[2][3] The Jazz got off to a 7–6 start as the team traded Thurl Bailey to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Tyrone Corbin near the end of November.[4][5][6] In December, during a home game against the Detroit Pistons, Karl Malone committed a flagrant foul on Isiah Thomas, in which Malone hit Thomas's forehead with his elbow, and Thomas had to receive 40 stitches; Malone was suspended for one game.[7][8][9] The Jazz held a 31–18 record at the All-Star break,[10] and won their final seven games, finishing first in the Midwest Division with a 55–27 record.[11] They made their ninth consecutive trip to the playoffs.[12]

Malone averaged 28.0 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and finished in fourth place in Most Valuable Player voting,[13][14] while John Stockton averaged 15.8 points, 13.7 assists and 3.0 steals per game, leading the league in assists for the fifth straight season, while being named to the All-NBA Second Team, and NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Both Malone and Stockton were selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game.[15][16][17] In addition, Jeff Malone finished second on the team in scoring averaging 20.2 points per game, while Blue Edwards provided them with 12.6 points per game, and Mark Eaton led the team with 2.5 blocks per game.[18]

In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in five games.[19][20][21] Then in the Western Conference Semi-finals, they defeated the 6th-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in five games.[22][23][24][25] However, the Jazz would lose to Clyde Drexler and the top-seeded Portland Trail Blazers four games to two in the Western Conference finals.[26][27][28][29] The Blazers would lose in six games to the defending champion Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals.[30][31][32][33][34]

Following the season, Edwards and top draft pick Eric Murdock were both traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.[35][36][37]