Jordan’s Jumper No Surprise

The emotions of playoff basketball. Three days ago John Stockton hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer to beat Houston and send the Utah Jazz to the NBA Finals for the first time.

On Sunday night, the Jazz lost Game 1 as Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls beat them with a jumper as time expired.

“They’re different, no doubt about that,” Stockton said of the contrasting emotions.

“I don’t know that you can describe it. Regardless of whether it is the last-second shot or a 20-point victory, it’s always terrible to lose.”

Stockton said everyone in the Jazz’s huddle knew what would happen in the final seconds.

“I think everybody watching the game everywhere in the world knew who was going to take the last shot,” he said. “And we knew it. … What can you do?”

Still the greatest

Boxing great Muhammad Ali, wearing a Bulls jacket, presented the ball to the officials at the start of the game. Ali, a big hit at the Atlanta Olympics when he lit the Olympic flame, received a warm ovation from the fans at the United Center.

Sloan returns to where it all began

Jerry Sloan admits he probably wasn’t ready for his first NBA head coaching job 17 years ago, when he took over the Chicago Bulls.

“Maybe I was a head coach a little too soon. But there was an opportunity and I took it,” Sloan said. “I don’t have any regrets about trying. I did a fairly decent job under the circumstances. It was a learning experience.”

Just three years removed from his playing days with the Bulls, Sloan became head coach in the 1979-80 season, compiling a 30-52 record. The Bulls improved to 45-37 the next year but Sloan was fired the following season after a 19-33 start.

Now he has the longest tenure of any coach in the NBA as he brings the Utah Jazz into the Finals for the first time, facing the Bulls.

His retired No. 4 uniform, from his gritty, decade-long stint as a player with the Bulls, hangs from the rafters at the United Center.

Sloan, the Jazz’s coach since 1988, says his previous ties to the Bulls are no big deal.

“I have no connection to the Bulls; I don’t get a paycheck from them,” he said.

Grandpa’s in shape

Karl Malone doesn’t feel old and says age is no factor, especially in the NBA Finals.

Malone is 33. John Stockton 35. Michael Jordan 34. Dennis Rodman 36.

“We have a lot of older guys and we’re called grandpas now. A couple of my teammates call me ‘Grandpa,’ ” Malone said.

“But you look at how a lot of the older guys take care of themselves. Barring an injury, we’ll stop playing when we feel like we want to stop playing. The older guys know what it takes to be ready to go,” he added.

“I guarantee if you take some of the dedicated players in the game, a month and a half after the season is over, they’re still in shape. Everybody talks about the younger guys, but it’s the older guys who are here in the Finals right now.”

Stockton extended his games played streak to 609 this season and has appeared in 14 more during the playoffs. Malone’s streak reached 467 during the regular season plus the 14 in the postseason.