the championship. However, they lost starter Spencer 34 games into the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Despite this setback, the Jazz finished 60–22 before again losing to Houston in the playoffs, 3–2, in the first round. Greg Ostertag was added to the team for the 1995–96 season. The Jazz went 55–27, and reached the Conference Finals for the third time in history, nearly overcoming 3–1 series deficit before eventually succumbing to Seattle, 4–3. 1996–1998: Reaching the NBA Finals In the next two seasons, the Jazz were finally able to capitalize on regular-season success. In 1996–97, the Jazz had the best record in franchise history (64–18), won the Midwest Division and finished with the best record in the Western Conference. The team included Stockton, Malone and Hornacek, as well as Bryon Russell, Antoine Carr, Howard Eisley and Shandon Anderson. Malone won his first NBA MVP award, averaging 27.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. The Jazz reached the NBA Finals for the first time after beating the Clippers 3–0, Lakers 4–1 and Rockets 4–2. The Jazz then met Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the Finals, losing the series 4–2, with the last two games decided in the final seconds (scores of 90–88 and 90–86). During the off-season, the Jazz made no changes to the roster. As the 1997–98 season neared, they were expected to be contenders for the championship again. However, Stockton suffered a serious knee injury before the season, and missed the first 18 games, in which the Jazz went 11–7. On February 17, 1998, at the NBA trade deadline, the Jazz consummated a trade with the Orlando Magic, to acquire center Rony Seikaly in an attempt to bolster their center rotation. However, Seikaly refused to report within the mandated 48 hours required by NBA rules. From there, the trade was called off, and the Jazz took Chris Morris & Greg Foster back. Rumors had Seikaly with a serious foot injury; however, Seikaly insisted the Jazz torpedoed the deal and that he wanted to play for them; however, Seikaly's refusal to report effectively killed the deal. After the trade was off, Orlando pivoted and traded Seikaly to the New Jersey Nets, where he would play a total of 18 games over the next 1 1/2 seasons before retiring from the NBA. The Jazz played better after Stockton returned from his early-season injury. The team went