Jazz Can’t Find the Answers

The just-about-late and suddenly not-so-great Utah Jazz has yet to locate the team that steamrollered through the Western Conference finals, apart from the fact that the Lakers weren’t able to employ a defense with Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman, but any solutions had better arrive fast. The end could come Friday.

The Jazz has barely had a chance to counter the way the Bulls have shut down its offense like few others, let alone consider this 3-1 deficit and likely loss in the finals for the second year in a row. Which means players are searching to understand just about everything that has gone on the last three games.

“You didn’t go into the series thinking you’d be down 3-1,” Karl Malone said after Wednesday’s 86-82 loss at the United Center. “You’d like to think you’re going to be up, 3-1, or win the series. But that hasn’t happened. I think we played well tonight, better. But we’ve still got to play better Friday.”

No team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA finals.

Game 4 at least brought attempted adjustments, a change in starting centers, again. Adam Keefe, a true forward, replaced Greg Ostertag, who had replaced Greg Foster after the first two games, the Jazz hoping Keefe’s quickness would force Pippen to stay close on defense and not become the free safety who floats around.

But Keefe picked up two early fouls and had to leave with 6:18 left in the first quarter. He played only 20 minutes, though still long enough to make a solid contribution with seven rebounds and six points.

*

Bull General Manager Jerry Krause, who has been reminding Phil Jackson this is his absolutely last season as coach, has been asking around about former Seattle coach George Karl.

Krause had hoped to hire Iowa State’s Tim Floyd, but owner Jerry Reinsdorf, under increasing public pressure, has announced that he will play a part in the selection process this time.

Karl, like Michael Jordan, attended North Carolina. Another former Tar Heel, Kansas’ Roy Williams, has also been part of the speculation.