Mistakes, Not Jitters, Hurt Jazz

No jitters for the Utah Jazz in their inaugural appearance in the NBA Finals. No excuses, either, after missing a big chance to beat the Chicago Bulls in Game 1.

“I don’t want to hear that because they’ve been here before it made a big difference. Absolutely not,” Karl Malone said Sunday night after the Bulls’ 84-82 victory.

“We didn’t win the game down the stretch and they did. That’s why they are champions.”

Malone missed two free throws with 9.2 seconds left and Michael Jordan then hit a game-winning jumper at the buzzer for the Bulls.

The Jazz led by as many as seven points but couldn’t put Chicago away. Utah was hurt by 18 turnovers, including a career playoff-high seven by John Stockton.

“We didn’t come in here expecting to get beat, we expected to win,” Jeff Hornacek said. “Just because we lost a close game and had turnovers, that’s not going to change. We’ll come back Wednesday night with the same attitude.”