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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Olden Polynice had heard enough.
He grew tired of hearing how the Utah Jazz had no chance against
the Portland Trail Blazers. And he became angry over talk that his
team was too old to remain competitive in the NBA playoffs.
Well, the Jazz are getting older but they're not dead.
|  | | Olden Polynice, left, splits the Blazers' defense for two of his 12 points. |
Karl Malone scored 27 points, John Stockton had 18 and Polynice
added 12 points and 11 rebounds as the Jazz beat the Portland Trail
Blazers 88-85 Sunday, trimming Utah's deficit in the Western
Conference semifinals to 3-1.
"I heard comments being made by people," Polynice said. "They
said this series was over and we were too old. People were talking
about how it's so sad, watching them go out like this. Hey, we're
not done yet."
The Blazers missed a chance to tie at the buzzer when Greg
Anthony's 3-point attempt bounced off the rim, sending the
best-of-seven series back to Oregon for Game 5 on Tuesday night.
Utah has struggled in Portland, winning once in 15 playoff
games. No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0
deficit, but the Jazz are only concerned about Tuesday.
"It's one game. That's all we got," Malone said. "If we win,
we keep playing. If we lose, we go home."
The Blazers called a timeout to set up a play with 6.7 seconds
remaining. They worked the ball to Steve Smith, who couldn't get
open on the perimeter and fed the ball to Anthony. His shot was
airborne when the horn sounded.
"That's basketball," Anthony said. "It's hit or miss and you
have to live with that. It's disappointing, but you tip your hat to
them. They played extremely well, they showed a lot of courage and
pride."
Utah avoided being swept for the first time in franchise
history, and the possibility of going home until training camp gave
the Jazz an intensity they lacked earlier in the series.
The 36-year-old Malone and 38-year-old Stockton were focused
from the opening tip. And the fiery Polynice, 35, provided an
emotional lift, flapping his arms as he ran upcourt after a basket
or yelling as he collected a rebound.
Polynice was so effective that backup center Greg Ostertag
didn't play.
"It was nice to see Olden compete," Utah coach Jerry Sloan
said. "He ended up playing 39 minutes, which is probably the most
we've had in a long time from someone in that position. He did a
heck of a job."
Retiring guard Jeff Hornacek, facing the final game of his
14-year NBA career if the Jazz had lost, scored nine points.
Reserve Brian Grant led Portland with 20 points and 13 rebounds,
while Smith scored 19 points and Rasheed Wallace had 15.
The Blazers weren't the well-oiled machine that dominated the
Jazz in the first three games. This time, they committed 16
turnovers, shot 37.5 percent and led only in the opening minutes.
"We had a lot of turnovers," coach Mike Dunleavy said.
"Second-chance points were the only thing that kept us in the
game. Utah didn't do anything we didn't expect. They just outplayed
us."
Frustration carried over to postgame interviews, where Bonzi
Wells threatened a Salt Lake City writer. It was also a tough day
for Dunleavy, who saw no silver lining in rallying from a 75-64
third-quarter deficit.
"I'm not looking for moral victories," Dunleavy said. "We had
a mission today. Our mission was to win the game and we failed."
Trailing 75-69 entering the fourth quarter, the Blazers were
patient. Wallace completed a three-point play and Grant scored
twice inside, pulling Portland within 81-80 and forcing a Utah
timeout with 4:35 to play.
But Malone hit a 20-footer and two free throws, and Russell
drove the baseline for a dunk to give the Jazz an 87-80 lead with
2:11 to play.
After a basket by Wallace, Grant made two free throws with 38
seconds left, trimming the margin to 87-84. The Blazers caught a
break when Polynice was called for a foul after a miss by Russell.
Smith made one of two free throws at the other end, pulling
Portland into an 87-85 deficit with 14 seconds remaining. The Blazers
stopped the clock by fouling Armen Gilliam, who made one of two
free throws with 6.7 seconds left.
Game notes
Wallace, who set an NBA record with 38 technical fouls in
the regular season, got his second of the playoffs for arguing with
referee Joe DeRosa in the third quarter. ... Since Game 2 of the
1998 NBA Finals, Utah's playoff record is 10-15, including 8-5 at
the Delta Center. ... Polynice and Scottie Pippen were separated
during a first-quarter flap that resulted in double technicals. ...
Hornacek, who hit an NBA-leading 95 percent of his foul shots in
the regular season, was 1-of-3 from the line. ... Rod Hundley, the
only radio broadcaster the New Orleans and Utah Jazz have had,
missed Sunday's game to receive his diploma at West Virginia. The
No. 1 pick in the 1957 NBA draft, he left school 30 hours short of
graduating.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Portland Clubhouse
Utah Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 91
Miami 83
Utah 88
Portland 85
Phoenix 117
LA Lakers 98
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Olden Polynice says he was set to do anything for a Utah win Sunday.
wav: 77 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Scottie Pippen is surprised by the Sunday play of Olden Polynice.
wav: 114 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Portland's Mike Dunleavy describes his team's play Sunday.
wav: 150 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Scottie Pippen says Portland got what it expected out of Utah.
wav: 119 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Karl Malone says defense made the difference for Utah in Game 4.
wav: 93 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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