Latest news with #KarlMalone
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"They booed me with 90 minutes on the clock" - Dirk Nowitzki on Jazz fans' backlash after calling Utah "a bad city"
"They booed me with 90 minutes on the clock" - Dirk Nowitzki on Jazz fans' backlash after calling Utah "a bad city" originally appeared on Basketball Network. There are a few sure ways to rile up an opposing NBA fan base. One of the fastest is trashing their city. Advertisement Despite his down-to-earth and humble reputation, Dirk Nowitzki did just that. According to multiple reports, it happened during the 2001 NBA playoffs opener when his Dallas Mavericks faced the Utah Jazz. "Utah is a bad city," Nowitzki said at the time. Nowitzki vs. the Utah Jazz The 2001 NBA playoffs marked the start of the German forward's legendary postseason run. Nowitzki, drafted by the Mavs in 1998, faced his first playoff challenge against the team led by the veteran duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton — two icons in the twilight of their careers. Game 1 took place in Salt Lake City. Every basketball fan knows the atmosphere there is electric during the regular season, and it only intensifies in the playoffs. It was the first time Nowitzki experienced that intensity firsthand, and after a narrow two-point loss to start the series, he made his infamous "Utah is a bad city" comment. Advertisement Unsurprisingly, Jazz fans didn't take it lightly. Before Game 2, the intensity at the Delta Center reached another level. The brunt fell on the Mavericks' second-year player. "I came in with 90 minutes on the clock shooting and there was a sign up there: 'Germany is a bad city,'" recalled Nowitzki, per Deseret News. "They got me good. They booed me with 90 minutes on the clock." Related: "Yeah, they'll probably have to do something" - Bird says the NBA will be forced to move the 3-point line back if high volume continues Was it all just a misunderstanding? Reflecting on his early relationship with Jazz fans, Nowitzki admitted, "We got off on the wrong foot." Advertisement While that's true, it was arguably a misunderstanding. Nuances in language can have a big impact, and even a slight misphrasing can change meaning. This can be especially challenging for foreigners who don't speak the language perfectly — and that was true for Nowitzki then. Years later, the 2008 MVP clarified what he really meant by his "bad city" comment and how it got lost in translation. "I said, 'Well, Utah is a bad city,' meaning it's the playoffs and we shouldn't spend too much time there. It's hostile," he explained. "I meant going home, sleeping in my own bed, is never bad." Needless to say, the damage was done. Dirk recalled coming home where "they blew the whole thing up. They were talking about it on TV that night already. I mean, they were trying to call my hotel room. It was awesome." Advertisement Ultimately, his "bad city" remark was actually more of a compliment. Drawing parallels to places like Portland, the 2011 NBA champion said cities without big football teams often invest everything in their basketball teams — and "that's usually where the buildings get the loudest and the craziest. The fans really get into it." While Nowitzki's criticism of Utah/Salt Lake City was mostly a misunderstanding, the same can't be said for another former NBA player. Derek Harper famously rejected a trade offer to the Jazz, making his opinion on living there very clear. "There was a Utah deal, but you go live in Utah. Nothing against Utah or their team, but I don't want to live there," the former guard said in 1997. Related: Dirk doesn't want to bash today's NBA like some ex-players: "It doesn't help to always sit there and complain" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NBA legend chose these players over Michael Jordan in his controversial all-time list
NBA legend chose this player over Michael Jordan in his controversial all-time list (Image Credit: Getty Images) Hall of Famer Karl Malone shared what his dream all-time list will look like, and that has Michael Jordan nowhere to be seen. He called LeBron James his man-crush, and chose Scottie Pippen over Michael Jordan, who is a usual entry in every GOAT list. Karl shared other players' names who can take up different positions in the all-time list. Karl Malone chose Scottie Pippen and LeBron James over Michael Jordan in his all-time list Karl Malone appeared on the Dan Patrick Show and spoke about his various favorite things on and off the court. When asked to select the players for the all-time list, he made a shocking revelation. A GOAT for all, Michael Jordan, was not on his list anywhere; instead, he chose other players, such as LeBron James and Scottie Pippen, who Karl called his 'man-crush.' 'I got to have Wilt Chamberlain as my center,' Karl started. Karl Malone on The Dan Patrick Show 6/4/13 'I gotta have John Stockton as my point guard. I gotta have LeBron James, and I'm going to put him in my power forward position because he would be a tough matchup. I gotta put Oscar Robertson at my two-guard. I will shock the world, and I would put Scottie Pippen as the three-man,' he said. Further, he said, 'Scottie Pippen led the team in every statistical category when he was there without Michael Jordan, so that is why I gotta put Scottie Pippen. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo I just like Scottie Pippen, but I have a man-crush on LeBron James.' A look into Karl Malone-Michael Jordan rivalry that marked NBA basketball in 1990s Kael Malone's choice of all-time team stars stems from an old rivalry against Michael Jordan, which was a highlight of NBA Basketball in the 1990s. Their rivalry subtly prevailed in the NBA scene as Karl won the MVP award two times as against Michael Jordan, who won it five times. The MVP competition between the two legends spanned over 1997 and 1998. Malone ended second to Jordan in points per game in 1988-89. The Day Michael Jordan Showed Karl Malone Who Is The Boss The 1997 and 1998 finals clashes were when their rivalry peaked as Karl Malone and Michael Jordan faced each other while leading their respective teams, the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls. Also Read: LeBron James makes NBA history, breaks Michael Jordan's longstanding MVP record with latest milestone Karl Malone's appearance on the Dan Patrick Show and his thoughts on LeBron James and Michael Jordan made the rivalry quite evident. However, both the players never indulged in ugly encounter and remained a healthy competition to each other. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"As long as we win basketball games, I don't care" – Gary Payton emphasized winning over stats during 2004 playoff run
Gary Payton had to sacrifice a lot when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2003. It was his chance to win an NBA title, a glaring missing piece in the basketball resume of the 2nd overall pick of the 1990 Draft. Unfortunately, "The Glove" struggled to mesh with the system of the Purple and Gold, a reason why he wasn't exactly at ease in LA. In a rare move, the Oregon State product was allowed to play his usual game by Game 3 of the 2004 Western Conference. And while it seemed "The Glove" proved he could be efficient playing his game, he chose to downplay his performance. Advertisement "I don't care about that," Payton said to reporters about the change in his game via NYT. "As long as we win basketball games, I don't care." Payton was sorely unhappy in LA Payton, who saw his numbers dip dramatically, was mainly concerned about achieving what he signed up for – winning an NBA ring. With him and Karl Malone joining forces with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant at the time, his chances were looking good. Although he was instantly a starter for the Lakers in the regular season in all 82 games, his playing time and production significantly diminished. In his tenure with the Lakers, he averaged only 14.6 points, 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 34.5 minutes of action. Advertisement Those are decent numbers for any player. But considering he was averaging 18.2 points, 7.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 steals when he was still with the Seattle Supersonics, those were big drops. With Payton obviously unhappy, it was another contributing factor to the tumultuous season the Lakers had. Like GP, Malone also struggled to adjust while O'Neal and Bryant tried to find a way to get along and mesh with Payton and "The Mailman." LA managed to get to the 2004 NBA Finals and it appeared the championship was within reach. But surprisingly, the Detroit Pistons pulled off a shocker by foiling the Lakers in five games. Given the performance of the Lakers that season, the result was hardly surprising. The team did look good on paper, but with key players like Shaq, Kobe and Karl bitten by the injury bug, developing some chemistry among the four stars was hard to accomplish. Advertisement Related: "His discipline is not allowed to be used today" - Shaquille O'Neal is now thankful for his father's constant brutality It wasn't a fit for "The Glove" In the early part of the 2003-2004 season, Payton admitted that it appeared the Lakers would roll over the opposition. That was until the injury bug bit Malone, a development that would alter the course of the Purple and Gold in the regular season. "When Karl Malone got hurt, we were 18-3," Payton said. "We were rolling; they were talking about us beating the Chicago Bulls record. And then all of a sudden, we went up and down," he added. Payton was the only one who managed to stay healthy throughout that season. He did his best to keep the Lakers afloat, playing the entire season. But with other members of the "Fab Four" struggling with injuries, fulfilling their mission at the time was a tall order. Advertisement "I'm the only one who played 82 games out of the big four and everybody else. And we still went to the Finals. It was just not meant to be," the 1996 Defensive Player of the Year rued. Payton unsurprisingly left LA after that forgetful stint, moving to the Boston Celtics in 2004. Luckily, the 9-time All-Star did get to win a championship in 2006 with the Miami Heat, ironically alongside his former Lakers teammate, Shaquille O'Neal. Gary had quite the ride in the league, but eventually accomplished everything any NBA player would dream of. He is considered one of the most complete guards the league had ever seen, someone who could do it well on both ends of the basketball court. Related: "He's more impressive when you're playing with him than against him" - Dennis Rodman admits he was in awe of Scottie Pippen from day one
