http://sports.ksl.com/utahjazz_index-i.php (KSL的犹他爵士新闻首页 摆的图是Malone啊!!) http://sports.ksl.com/nsstory-12570i.php Sloan considers Jazz finish a success SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- After six months of harsh criticism of his team, Utah coach Jerry Sloan finally relented a little. The Jazz had a successful season, Sloan admitted, even without making the playoffs. Utah finished 42-40, exceeding nearly all preseason expectations as the Jazz began a new era without John Stockton and Karl Malone. "There was some question in their mind whether they thought they were good enough at times, and that's something that we all have to face a time or two," Sloan said Thursday as he met with players before they left for the summer. "But at least they kept fighting to get better, and those are things that are very important to me. Always have been and always will be as long I'm coaching." The Jazz season ended Wednesday night with an 89-84 loss to Phoenix. Unofficially, it came to a close Monday when Utah was knocked out of the playoff race with a loss at Minnesota and Denver's win over Sacramento. It was the first time Utah missed the playoffs since 1983. But the fact that the Jazz were in contention in the final week of the season was well beyond realistic expectations in October. For the first time since 1984, the Jazz were opening the season without Stockton or Malone on the roster. Sloan wouldn't accept that, injuries or a lack of experience as excuses. "Sometimes I'm unfair, but I think you have to have that. Otherwise it's just an acceptance of failure every single day and it's no big deal," he said. "It's not a pleasant time for me when we lose. I understand it, but I've never enjoyed it." For taking a roster full of unknowns, castoffs and rookies to the brink of a playoff berth, Sloan is mentioned often as a contender for coach of the year. The Jazz went with two rookie point guards and a third with limited experience and made it work. Matt Harpring, the leading scorer among players returning last fall, was lost for the season with a knee injury in January. Sloan also coached through a personal crisis when his wife Bobbye, a breast cancer survivor, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January. Bobbye Sloan, who is still being treated, didn't want her husband to give up the job he has held for 16 years. "I don't know what tomorrow will bring or this summer will bring or anything else. I haven't known all along," said Sloan, who got his 900th career coaching win in February. "My wife wants me to stay in coaching, so that's why I'm here." Sloan, who has two years remaining on the contract extension he signed last summer, said he's planning on coming back for a 17th season, although that will depend on his wife's health -- just as it has since they announced the diagnosis. Jazz owner Larry Miller said the job is Sloan's as long as he wants it. If Sloan does have to leave, Miller said longtime assistant and former Kings coach Phil Johnson will take over. Johnson has covered in the past when Sloan has been ejected or suspended and this season when he missed a couple of games to be with his wife. "He's an amazing guy. For him to have dealt with all he dealt with just blows me away," Miller said. "If he doesn't win coach of the year this year, it's a flat-out travesty. And that has nothing to do with feeling sorry for him or for Bobbye. It has to do with the job he's done with this team." And the Jazz could be getting newer still. Utah has four players who will be unrestricted free agents and four more who are restricted. The team also has to leave somebody exposed for Charlotte in the expansion draft and has three first-round picks in this year's draft. The result could be even more turnover than the Jazz saw this season. "Next year we'll have different expectations and we'll try to exceed those," said Raja Bell, one of Utah's newcomers and a pleasant surprise this season. "We all knew what people expected us to do, so it kind of helped us bond. We didn't have any choice. If we didn't, we were going to get smacked around all year, so we bonded." The unrestricted free agents include Greg Ostertag, who just spent his ninth and possibly last season with the Jazz. Ostertag clashed often with Sloan and lost his starting job near the end of the season. After making more than $8 million this season, he's definitely headed for a pay cut. Ostertag had predicted the Jazz may win 35 games this season. "If anybody in here says that they're disappointed with that season, I think they're crazy," Ostertag said. "We were a young team and all we did every night was play hard and go out and put ourselves in position to win." (Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) 2004-04-15 18:02:00 --

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