Sloan Puts Own Stamp on His Team

Once asked who was the toughest defender he faced in the years when he was one of the greatest guards in NBA history, Laker executive Jerry West named Jerry Sloan.

Sloan was successful because he was tenacious, analytical, opportunistic and generally wise in the ways of the game.

The Utah Jazz has been able to take a 3-0 lead over the Lakers heading into Game 4 today at the Great Western Forum by exhibiting many of the qualities of Sloan, their coach, whose playing career ended 22 seasons ago.

While many question how much control Laker Coach Del Harris has over his club, there is no question in Sloan’s case.

Asked about the Lakers’ tendency to run up the court only to pull up and fire three-pointers, Utah’s Karl Malone said, “We run if we have to. But if we were to run up and down the court two or three times only to take jump shots, Coach Sloan would call a timeout to tell us what he thought about it.”

In his reserve role, in which he has averaged 10.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in an average of 22 minutes in this series, Shandon Anderson is ever aware of Sloan.

“I have to do something when I’m out there,” Anderson said. “I know if I don’t do something, the coach is going to take me out of the game.”

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Although guard John Stockton played only 11 minutes in the first half of Game 3 Friday night after being thrown to the floor in a collision with Laker guard Derek Fisher, both Sloan and Stockton insisted Saturday that Stockton wasn’t injured.

“I thought he was playing like . . . ,” Sloan said. “That was a good reason to keep him out.”

Malone, who has been bothered by a tendon injury in a finger on his right hand nearly all season, said he felt fine Saturday after jarring the finger Friday night.

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Sloan, appearing embarrassed when told West had singled him out as the best defender, replied, “He probably couldn’t think of anyone else.”