In 1996, coach Jerry Sloan won his 500th career victory with the Utah Jazz. He coached the Jazz to 15 consecutive play-offs and is one of only four coaches in NBA history with 15-plus consecutive seasons with a winning record. Sloan began his coaching career after he played guard/forward for the Chicago Bulls. As a player, Sloan was known for his defensive skills and led the team to their first-ever division title. Sloan retired in 1976 after a series of knee injuries sidelined him. Sloan is membered for leading the Jazz to six division championships and 10 seasons with greater than 50 wins. The team made two NBA Finals appearances but were defeated by the Chicago Bulls both times (1997, 1998). At the time of his retirement, he had 1,221 wins and is one of only 5 NBA coaches to pass the 1,000-win mark.
Today in Sports History: March 8
