Recap: Wizards defeated by Sixers 132-103 in Game 3

Former Utah Jazz star Mark Eaton dead after apparent bicycle accident in Summit County
Correction: The headline and article have been updated to better reflect that a cause of death has not been determined.

Former Utah Jazz player and NBA All-Star Mark Eaton died after an apparent bicycle accident Friday in Silver Creek, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said.

The accident occurred sometime before 8:26 p.m., when the authorities received a call from someone who found Eaton unconscious in the middle of a road in the Silver Creek Estates neighborhood, a news release stated.

Eaton, a longtime resident of the Park City area, was treated by emergency medical personnel and was transported to a hospital, where he died. He was 64.

The Sheriff’s Office said there were no witnesses to the crash, though authorities do not believe a vehicle was involved. The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner will attempt to determine the cause of death.

Eaton played for the Jazz between 1982 and 1993, spending his entire NBA career in Utah. At 7-foot-4, he was a towering presence on the court who terrorized opposing offenses. He twice was named the NBA’s defensive player of the year and led the league in blocked shots four times. In 1989, he was named to the Western Conference all-star team.

“The Utah Jazz are profoundly saddened at the unexpected passing of Mark Eaton, who was an enduring figure in our franchise history and had a significant impact in the community after his basketball career,” the team said in a statement. “… His presence continued around the organization as a friend and ambassador while giving back as a businessman and volunteer to his adopted hometown in Utah.”

Eaton’s stature also made him a visible presence in the Park City area. On Saturday, after news of his death broke, many Parkites took to social media to offer condolences, and several people noted the friendly personality that accompanied his large frame.

Former U.S. Ski and Snowboard spokesman Tom Kelly lived near Eaton in Silver Creek and told The Park Record in an interview that people in Park City who knew him didn’t view him as a basketball star, but rather as a neighbor and member of the community.

“He was a Parkite. He made this his community some years ago and was an integral part of this community,” Kelly said, adding, “He was a warm and friendly guy and he made you feel welcome around him. He stood out in a crowd but made you feel … like you were part of his day.”

The Park City community’s fondness for Eaton was mutual. In 2010, when Eaton was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame, he spoke about the connection he felt to the area. According to a Park Record article, the Southern California native said he signed his first NBA contract in Jeremy Ranch and became enamored with Park City and its abundant recreational opportunities. He bought a home in Jeremy Ranch before later moving to Silver Creek.

“I loved it,” he said of Park City. “I fell in love with it. I’ve always been one for the outdoors and, growing up near the beach, the mountains always intrigued me. I got to ride my mountain bike, go fishing and enjoy it all.”

Eaton during the Hall of Fame induction also recalled participating in his first conference call with members of the media in what was then the Claimjumper restaurant on Main Street.

Following his playing career, Eaton was involved in the restaurant industry and was also a motivational speaker. He told The Park Record in a 2018 interview that he enjoyed motivational speaking because he was passionate about helping people reach their full potential.

Former Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton dies after bicycle crash at age 64
Mark Eaton, the 7-foot-4 shot-blocking king who twice was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year during his career with the Utah Jazz, has died, the team said Saturday. He was 64.

The Jazz said that police said Eaton was found lying in the road around 8:30 p.m. Friday after apparently crashing his bike in Summit County, Utah. According to the team, the Summit County Sheriff's Office said that Eaton was taken to a hospital, where he later died, and that there was no reason to believe a vehicle was involved in the accident.

"The Utah Jazz are profoundly saddened at the unexpected passing of Mark Eaton, who was an enduring figure in our franchise history and had a significant impact in the community after his basketball career," the team said in a statement.

"... His presence continued around the organization as a friend and ambassador while giving back as a businessman and volunteer to his adopted hometown in Utah. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Teri and their extended family. Mark will be greatly missed by all of us with the Jazz."

The center, who spent his entire career with the Jazz, led the league in blocks per game four times, and his average of 5.6 per contest in 1984-85 remains the highest average since the NBA started officially tracking that statistic.

"He was so impressive," longtime NBA broadcaster Mike Inglis, now the radio voice of the Miami Heat, said Saturday. "I used to call him the human condominium complex. He was something else on defense, let me tell you."

Eaton's career blocks average of 3.51 per game is the best in NBA history, and his career happened almost by accident. He was working as an auto mechanic in 1977 when a community college basketball coach persuaded him to enroll. From there, he went to UCLA, and his stint with the Jazz followed.

His 11 playing seasons with the Jazz are third most in team history, behind longtime Utah cornerstones Karl Malone and John Stockton. His durability was noteworthy, with him once appearing in 338 consecutive games. He finished with career averages of 6.0 points and 7.9 rebounds.

Eaton's No. 53 was one of the first jerseys retired by the Jazz. He was the DPOY in 1984-85 and 1988-89, was a five-time All-Defensive team selection -- with three first-team nods, two second-team picks -- and was an All-Star in 1989.

He had been, among other things, a restaurateur and a motivational speaker in his retirement. In recent years, he served as a mentor to Utah center Rudy Gobert -- the only other player in Jazz history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.

"To my great mentor and friend @markeaton7ft4, one of kind and an amazing human being, i'm grateful for your presence in my life over the years," Gobert posted Saturday on Twitter. "Gonna miss our conversations. But i know you'll be watching."

Utah coach Quin Snyder said Saturday night before Game 3 in Memphis that the team's thoughts and prayers go out to Eaton's wife.

"Mark was someone that was a friend, and I think a friend who a lot of us, in his relationship with Rudy Gobert I think is emblematic of who he was and his ability to listen,'' Snyder said. "And then to offer counsel and support was something that was really unique, and obviously we'll miss him."

Eaton also served as an officer in the National Basketball Players Association, and the union released a statement Saturday saying he would be missed.

"It may be cliched, but it's true: Mark Eaton was a giant, in every sense of the word," the NBPA statement said. "A long-time member of the NBPA Executive Committee right through his retirement from the league in 1994, Mark served his colleagues with grace and strength, and continued to watch over them through his service for the Retired Players Association. His imposing physical presence made a delightful match with his warm and thoughtful manner."

Eaton's death came days after he was in Chicago to be part of the celebration for his friend Joe West, who broke baseball's umpiring record Tuesday night by working his 5,376th regular-season game.

Eaton was taken by Phoenix with the 107th pick in the 1979 draft, then drafted again at No. 72 by Utah in 1982. And he never left. His last game was in 1993; back problems ended his career, and he retired in September 1994.

"It has been a great ride, but life does have a way of moving on and I must move on with it," Eaton wrote in a column for The Salt Lake Tribune in which he announced his retirement. "Thank you for letting me be a part of your life and community. I'll be around."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Lakers' Anthony Davis, questionable with knee sprain, says 'no chance' he sits out Game 4
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Anthony Davis describes the process he will go through to make sure his knee is good to go for Game 4 vs. the Suns. (0:49)

4:06 AM WIB
Dave McMenamin
ESPN Staff Writer
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LOS ANGELES -- Despite the team listing him as questionable with a left knee sprain, Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis says there is "no chance" he sits out Sunday's Game 4 with L.A. looking to take a commanding 3-1 lead in its first-round series with the Phoenix Suns.

"There's no chance that I don't play tomorrow," Davis said after practice Saturday. "As a player, I've wanted to be in this moment. You want to be in the playoffs and help contribute to my team's success. I want to be out there. So in my eyes, for me as a competitor, I think I'll be out there [Sunday]."

Davis landed awkwardly and hyperextended his left knee after executing a chase-down block on the Suns' Devin Booker in the first half of the Lakers' 109-95 Game 3 victory Thursday.

He pushed through the discomfort and stayed in the game, finishing with 34 points and 11 rebounds in 40 minutes.

The nine-year veteran said the injury did not require an MRI, but he has been experiencing swelling in the knee, and has been wearing a compression sleeve as part of his treatment.

When asked if he would wear a more substantial brace for Game 4, Davis doubted it would be necessary.

"I haven't mentioned or talked about a brace," he said. "But if that's going to help, then I don't mind going back to the 1970s brace."

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who hurt his left knee and quad area in Game 3 and was unable to finish the game, is also listed as questionable.

"Both will be listed as questionable dealing with some soreness," Vogel said. "But we're hopeful that they both play."

Davis stressed the importance of Game 4 for the Lakers, who have won the past two games after losing the first, in order to keep the momentum.

"It's going to be probably the biggest game of the series, I think, besides if Game 7 happens," he said. "We're going in, want to protect home court ... We know they're going to come out and play desperate, in a sense."

Mark Eaton, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year who spent his entire NBA career with the Utah Jazz, has died. He was 64 years old.

Eaton was riding his bike in Summit County, Utah, on Friday night. Just before 8:30 p.m., passersby saw Eaton lying in the road after apparently crashing, according to the Summit County Sheriff's Office. Officials said "there is no reason to believe a vehicle was involved in the incident. Eaton was taken to a hospital where he later died.

“The Utah Jazz are profoundly saddened at the unexpected passing of Mark Eaton, who was an enduring figure in our franchise history and had a significant impact in the community after his basketball career. Mark played his entire 11-year NBA career with the Jazz and his number was retired as an NBA All-Star and two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year," the Utah Jazz said in a statement. "His presence continued around the organization as a friend and ambassador while giving back as a businessman and volunteer to his adopted hometown in Utah. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife Teri and their extended family. Mark will be greatly missed by all of us with the Jazz.”

Eaton was drafted by the Jazz in the fourth round of the 1982 NBA Draft. The 7-foot-4 center out of UCLA would go on to play 11 seasons in Utah, establishing himself as one of the league’s most feared interior defenders.

Eaton blocked 3,064 shots during his career — fourth-most in NBA history. He led the league in blocks in 1984, ’85, ’87, and ’88. He still holds the record for most blocked shots in a season (456 in 1984-85).

“It kind of astounds me,” Eaton said in a 2019 UtahJazz.com interview. “I always thought there would be someone that came along and knock me off the block. It’s remarkable. I don’t think about it a whole lot but sometimes I look at all the great centers that have come along and nobody has come close to breaking that record. It’s kind of crazy.”

Eaton was named an NBA All-Star in 1989. In both 1985 and ’89 he was named Defensive Player of the Year. Three times he was named to the All-Defensive First Team and twice he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team.

Eaton's No. 53 was retired by the Jazz during the 1995-96 season.

“We lost someone that was a part of the Jazz family today,” head coach Quin Snyder said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Teri. Mark was someone that was a friend, and a friend to a lot of us."

Eaton’s storied basketball career, however, might not have happened if not for a chance encounter. The 7-foot-4 Eaton was working as an auto mechanic in Arizona when a community college basketball coach noticed him in 1977. After convincing Eaton to enroll at Cypress College, he transferred to UCLA to play under legendary coach John Wooden.

“I had an unusual background,” Eaton said. “It’s an unlikely story to be sure. I basically came into the NBA with two years of junior college experience and sat on the bench at UCLA for two years. And Frank Layden gave me a chance and the team was in a space where they could afford to let me make some mistakes out there and get my feet underneath me. It worked out well for both of us.”

Despite all of his personal accolades, Eaton often said he was most proud of from his playing days was being on a winning team for all but one of his seasons in the league.

“We created a culture that is still part of the team’s identity today,” Eaton said.

After Eaton retired from the game in 1993, he only further established himself as a member of the Salt Lake community. Eaton was a restaurateur, the owner of Tuscany’s and Franck’s in Holladay.

“When I retired, I thought, where am I going to live and raise my kids? Utah had been such a fabulous place to me. It’s home,” he said.

Eaton became an author and a motivational speaker.

He was also a friend and mentor to the Jazz’s current All-Star center, Rudy Gobert.

“I will text Rudy on occasion and tell him your job is to guard the entire team. The paint is your house. Don’t let anybody in there,” Eaton said. “I love watching him. He’s so exciting.”

Snyder said Eaton's relationship with Gobert was emblematic of who the late All-Star was as a person.

"His ability to listen and then to offer counsel and support was something that was really unique," Snyder said. "Obviously, we’ll miss him.”

The Grindhouse gets loud.

Mike Conley will never forget his first playoff game there.

“We were all nervous, excited and anxious,” he recalled Saturday morning. “Beale Street was packed, full of people, and it was hard to get down to the arena. It was something I’ll never forget.”

On Saturday, on the other side of the floor, Conley and the Utah Jazz managed to quiet the crowd in Memphis.

The Jazz reclaimed homecourt advantage in this best-of-seven series, beating the Grizzlies 121-111 on the road.

“Honestly, I’m just happy for the win,” Conley said after the victory. “This is going to be a tough series. To come into a place like this, that I’m so familiar with, and be on the other side and hear the boos, it definitely sets the stage. I’m happy with the win.”

The Jazz now hold a 2-1 lead in the first-round series with Game 4 slated for Sunday night in Memphis.

“We’ve got an unselfish group and guys hung in there. We talk about closing and we were able to do that tonight. It was the whole group,” Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said.

Conley scored 27 points, dished out eight assists, grabbed eight rebounds and finished with a game-best plus-16 plus/minus in Game 3.

All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 29 points, one of six Jazzmen to score in double figures.

Memphis guard Ja Morant scored 28 points and Grizzly Dillon Brooks had 27 in defeat.

Memphis led 109-107 after Morant hit a driving floater with 4:27 to play in the fourth quarter.

Mitchell answered with an and-one layup in traffic and a straightaway 3-pointer to help the Jazz close on a 14-2 run.

“When you have a guy with that much competitive fire, he’s going to make some things happen,” Snyder said.

All-Star center Rudy Gobert had 15 points, 14 rebounds and two blocked shots.