I miss Karl Malone

[FJS]

Yeah, I miss him.
More than I do with John Stockton.

I miss to have a true superstar in my team. An offensive power, a defensive power. A guy who are going to play hard and kick anybody asses not in a Jazz uniform.

Boozer is not near, Deron is not near... nobody is near nowadays as good as he was in our team.
Only changing Malone for Boozer and being Okur health would make us contenders without any doubt.

[Soul Patch]

I agree with this completely. He had attitude and the game to back it up.

[StocktonShorts]

And he choked in the playoffs a lot. I liked Karl Malone a lot, and I'll defend his status as greatest PF tooth-and-nail against the Tim Duncan-ites, but it's hard to bring him up in May, after the current Jazz have been eliminated from the playoffs, without thinking of his own post-season shortcomings.

He was just never as good in the playoffs as he was in the regular season, and some of the advanced metrics (win shares, PER) back that up.

[Soul Patch]

Stockton and Horny did worse in the playoffs if I remember right.

[stevebozell]

He was just never as good in the playoffs as he was in the regular season, and some of the advanced metrics (win shares, PER) back that up.

Id love to see those numbers, because I remember someone in the Utah media pointing out that his numbers DIDNT get worse, and in some instances got better in the playoffs. They could have been wrong, but I remember that because I for a while thought the same thing. I think he didnt necessarily choke in the playoffs in general, just in late game situations in some real big games so it stands out. Either way he was a horse who carried nearly an entire team for almost 2 decades. I can only imagine how he would do with such a deep team around him like Boozer and DWill have.

[StocktonShorts]

I can only imagine how he would do with such a deep team around him like Boozer and DWill have.

I'd love just to see how his attitude would change the demeanor of the team.

And I'll go grab some numbers...

[StocktonShorts]

From Basketball Reference:

Career winshares/48 minutes:

Michael Jordan:
Regular season: .250
Postseason: .255

LeBron James:
Regular season: .224
Postseason: .236

Shaq:
Regular: .209
Postseason: .184

Tim Duncan:
Regular: .219
Postseason: .204

Kobe Bryant:
Regular: .187
Postseason: .155

Charles Barkley:
Regular: .216
Postseason: .193

John Stockton:
Regular: .209
Postseason: .160

Karl Malone:
Regular: .205
Postseason: .140


What I'm noticing is that with a few exceptions (arguably two of the best players ever) it seems normal for this metric to decrease in the postseason. Maybe it's small sample size, or because their minutes per game goes up (and they're less efficient), or because the competition is tougher than the typical regular season stretch.

In any case, it does seem that Karl's regular-to-postseason drop is worse than his peers.

[stevebozell]

Im not exactly sure what that stat is or means, but if its related to winning I would just say it points out how that team was very thin, and come playoff time teams only had to focus on two guys, maybe 3 once Horny arrived.

[StocktonShorts]

http://www.basketball-reference.com/about/ws.html

[Denizfeital]

Yes, I miss him too. I am not complaining about the team we have today though, but Karl Malone was feared, he was intimidating. The oponents were afraid of him.

That was amazing. Today they come to play in Utah and they fear the fans. It would be better fear the fans AND a power foward. That would make a diference. We saw Kobe Bryant playing last night: No fear at all. 30+ points easily. Of course, he's Kobe Bryant, but you know what I mean.

Regards,

[HammerDunk]

I too long for a day when Utah is a feared place to play, not only because of having the best fans in the NBA, but also for at least one of their players being willing to knock your teeth out. Karl Malone don't like nobody comin' on his court.

[StocktonShorts]

I too long for a day when Utah is a feared place to play, not only because of having the best fans in the NBA, but also for at least one of their players being willing to knock your teeth out. Karl Malone don't like nobody comin' on his court.

Or putting folding chairs on it.

[Jampod]

I too long for a day when Utah is a feared place to play, not only because of having the best fans in the NBA, but also for at least one of their players being willing to knock your teeth out. Karl Malone don't like nobody comin' on his court.

Or putting folding chairs on it.

Yeah. If Malone were playing against a Gasol or a Bryant, he'd wipe their asses all over that floor.

[HammerDunk]

I too long for a day when Utah is a feared place to play, not only because of having the best fans in the NBA, but also for at least one of their players being willing to knock your teeth out. Karl Malone don't like nobody comin' on his court.

Or putting folding chairs on it.

Exactly. The people know what Karl Malone mean when he say what he say.

[nyjazz]

No power forward today compare to Karl in his prime. For those of us that was part of Karl's best years, it was like having LeBron on our team (well, LeBron prior to the Celtics series). There is not a player in the league today that could have contained him. He was a beast, no, not in terms of Boozer soroity soft beast, but rather tank like nail chewing beast. If Jazz today would play then Jazz, Boozer would walk off the field crying with broken nose and spirit while Karl would kiss his biceps and play the whole game. I loved watching the Jazz back then, I was proud how hard and physically they played. Today, Deron is similarly great at times, Matthews is awesome and Millsap has similar attitude. Boozer does not. I miss Karl Malone too.

[BarneyGumble]

Sign the Mailman and start Millsap. Then we dont need to worry about Boozer leaving at all....

[Jazz_Man_86]

Few years ago there was a rumor about signing Karl back

Karl if you read these. Please come back

[idajazz]

there is a big poster of Malone dunking on a Laker on my office wall!

[FJS]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bM-Y4UoiAY[/youtube]

[Cqc_Nastyn8]

i bet you guys miss em cuz yall got swept!