Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan isn't sure why everybody is making such a fuss over John Stockton's 40th birthday.

"Not unless he's dying," Sloan cracked. "They discuss guys when they're dying. I don't know why they talk about him so much when he's living. He's just a basketball player who loves to play basketball."

Stockton, the NBA's all-time leader in assists and in steals, has been playing as the consummate professional for 18 NBA seasons.

At 40, he remains one of the NBA's most effective point guards, averaging 8.1 assists to rank fifth in the league while playing 31 minutes a game. His average of 13.2 points a game is his highest since 1996-97. And he has his team in the playoffs for an 18th straight season.