The 1983-84 Utah Jazz season marked a significant turning point for the franchise, as it was the first time the team made it to the NBA playoffs. Under the guidance of head coach Frank Layden, the Jazz finished the regular season with a 45-37 record, securing the sixth seed in the Western Conference. This marked a substantial improvement over their previous seasons and demonstrated the growing potential within the team.
Key to the Jazz’s success was the performance of All-Star forward Adrian Dantley, who led the team with an impressive average of 30.6 points per game, making him the second-leading scorer in the NBA that season. Rookie Thurl Bailey also made a notable impact, contributing as a valuable sixth man with his versatility and defensive prowess. Point guard Rickey Green played a crucial role, leading the league in steals and providing steady leadership on the court.
In the playoffs, the Jazz faced the Denver Nuggets in the first round. They emerged victorious in the five-game series, advancing past the opening round for the first time in franchise history. However, their playoff run was halted in the conference semifinals by the Phoenix Suns, who defeated them in a six-game series. Despite the loss, the 1983-84 season laid a strong foundation for the Utah Jazz, indicating their potential as a competitive team in the NBA.
- Regular Season Record: 45-37
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 3-2, Western Conference Semifinals: 2-4
Utah Jazz Roster and Stats for 1983-84 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Adrian Dantley | 79 | 30.6 | 5.7 | 3.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 25.1 | 11 | 32.2 | 7.5 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Darrell Griffith | 82 | 20.0 | 4.1 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 36.1 | 11 | 19.2 | 5.9 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 35.6 |
| John Drew | 81 | 17.7 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 27.3 | 11 | 10.2 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rickey Green | 81 | 13.2 | 2.8 | 9.2 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 11.8 | 11 | 14.6 | 3.2 | 9.5 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 25.0 |
| Thurl Bailey | 81 | 8.5 | 5.7 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 11 | 10.6 | 5.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Jeff Wilkins | 81 | 7.8 | 5.6 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 11 | 7.0 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Mark Eaton | 82 | 5.6 | 7.3 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 11 | 4.5 | 6.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 3.1 | 0.0 |
| Rich Kelley | 75 | 5.2 | 6.5 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 11 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Jerry Eaves | 80 | 4.4 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 11 | 5.0 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 33.3 |
| Bob Hansen | 55 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 4 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 66.7 |
| J.J. Anderson | 48 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 5 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 100.0 |
| Tom Boswell | 38 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 5 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
Utah Jazz in the 1984 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Denver Nuggets
In the first round of the 1984 NBA Playoffs, the Utah Jazz secured their first-ever playoff series victory, defeating the Denver Nuggets in a five-game series. Led by the dynamic duo of Adrian Dantley and Darrell Griffith, the Jazz capitalized on their home-court advantage to outlast the Nuggets, showcasing their emerging prowess in the league. This milestone marked a pivotal moment in the franchise's history, laying the groundwork for future successes.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 17, 1984 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 123-121 | |
| Apr 19, 1984 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 132-116 | |
| Apr 22, 1984 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 121-117 | |
| Apr 24, 1984 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 129-124 | |
| Apr 26, 1984 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 127-111 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Phoenix Suns
In the 1984 NBA Playoffs, the Utah Jazz made their first-ever second-round appearance, facing off against the Phoenix Suns. Despite having the formidable duo of Adrian Dantley and Rickey Green, the Jazz struggled against the Suns' balanced attack and ultimately lost the series 4-2. This playoff run marked a significant milestone for the franchise, setting the stage for future postseason pursuits.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 1984 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 105-95 | |
| May 02, 1984 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 102-97 | |
| May 04, 1984 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 106-94 | |
| May 06, 1984 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 111-110 | |
| May 08, 1984 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 118-106 | |
| May 10, 1984 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 102-82 |
Utah Jazz 1983-84 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1983-84 season for the Utah Jazz.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28, 1983 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 139-125 | |
| Oct 29, 1983 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 120-115 | |
| Nov 03, 1983 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 129-112 | |
| Nov 05, 1983 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 124-118 | |
| Nov 09, 1983 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 105-99 | |
| Nov 10, 1983 | @ Houston Rockets | W 118-109 | |
| Nov 12, 1983 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 136-122 | |
| Nov 13, 1983 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 124-118 | |
| Nov 15, 1983 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 114-112 | |
| Nov 16, 1983 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 122-109 | |
| Nov 18, 1983 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 128-120 | |
| Nov 19, 1983 | @ Washington Bullets | L 126-113 | |
| Nov 22, 1983 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 130-126 | |
| Nov 23, 1983 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 128-117 | |
| Nov 25, 1983 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 126-124 | |
| Nov 26, 1983 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 117-116 | |
| Nov 29, 1983 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 114-110 | |
| Nov 30, 1983 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 117-115 | |
| Dec 02, 1983 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 116-113 | |
| Dec 03, 1983 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 112-107 | |
| Dec 07, 1983 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 116-111 | |
| Dec 09, 1983 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 126-117 | |
| Dec 10, 1983 | @ Houston Rockets | W 128-121 | |
| Dec 13, 1983 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 107-105 | |
| Dec 15, 1983 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 138-111 | |
| Dec 17, 1983 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 127-111 | |
| Dec 21, 1983 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 133-115 | |
| Dec 23, 1983 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 118-116 | |
| Dec 27, 1983 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 111-102 | |
| Dec 28, 1983 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 113-105 | |
| Dec 30, 1983 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 135-130 | |
| Jan 03, 1984 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 137-124 | |
| Jan 04, 1984 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 116-111 | |
| Jan 06, 1984 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 130-110 | |
| Jan 10, 1984 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 107-98 | |
| Jan 11, 1984 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 117-102 | |
| Jan 13, 1984 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 122-119 | |
| Jan 14, 1984 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 121-96 | |
| Jan 17, 1984 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 112-106 | |
| Jan 20, 1984 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 120-113 | |
| Jan 21, 1984 | @ Houston Rockets | L 115-105 | |
| Jan 24, 1984 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 123-115 | |
| Jan 26, 1984 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 125-115 | |
| Jan 31, 1984 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 98-94 | |
| Feb 02, 1984 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 116-95 | |
| Feb 03, 1984 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 109-105 | |
| Feb 04, 1984 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 116-102 | |
| Feb 07, 1984 | vs. San Diego Clippers | L 109-103 | |
| Feb 10, 1984 | vs. New York Knicks | L 121-111 | |
| Feb 12, 1984 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 114-112 | |
| Feb 14, 1984 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 100-98 | |
| Feb 16, 1984 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 121-99 | |
| Feb 17, 1984 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 105-91 | |
| Feb 19, 1984 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 106-104 | |
| Feb 21, 1984 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 117-95 | |
| Feb 23, 1984 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 143-142 | |
| Feb 24, 1984 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-81 | |
| Feb 25, 1984 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 97-95 | |
| Feb 28, 1984 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 113-100 | |
| Feb 29, 1984 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 103-97 | |
| Mar 02, 1984 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 110-104 | |
| Mar 03, 1984 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 131-122 | |
| Mar 05, 1984 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 120-116 | |
| Mar 07, 1984 | @ Boston Celtics | L 117-106 | |
| Mar 10, 1984 | @ New York Knicks | L 114-105 | |
| Mar 11, 1984 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 120-97 | |
| Mar 13, 1984 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 124-119 | |
| Mar 15, 1984 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 115-111 | |
| Mar 17, 1984 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 118-103 | |
| Mar 19, 1984 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 143-125 | |
| Mar 22, 1984 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 129-126 | |
| Mar 23, 1984 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 115-104 | |
| Mar 25, 1984 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 121-98 | |
| Mar 27, 1984 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 110-106 | |
| Mar 29, 1984 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 106-96 | |
| Mar 31, 1984 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 105-103 | |
| Apr 02, 1984 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 111-100 | |
| Apr 05, 1984 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 129-115 | |
| Apr 07, 1984 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 109-100 | |
| Apr 10, 1984 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 135-120 | |
| Apr 12, 1984 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 113-94 | |
| Apr 14, 1984 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 146-128 |