RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Karl Malone insisted it wasn't the
late technical foul that got him going. It was the same thing
that's always been his catalyst, the game was on the line and he
wanted to win.
|  | | John Stockton, left, can't match Stephon Marbury's quickness anymore, but his 14 assists helped the Jazz beat the Nets. |
Malone scored 11 of his 21 points and set up a game-clinching basket in the final 7:34 to lead the Utah Jazz to a 98-92 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.
Malone's run came just after official Ron Olesiak hit him with a
technical for complaining about a non-call after he made a basket
inside to get the Jazz within 75-70.
"I've been around too long for that (stuff)," Malone said in downplaying the T. "Just play the game. Just play the game."
The game that the Jazz played down the stretch was a high-low
one with Malone and John Stockton, and it resulted in three three-point plays against Nets center Aaron Williams.
"I knew down the stretch what plays we were running," said
Malone, who hit all five of his shots from the field in the final
quarter. "They were my plays and I knew what I was supposed to do
with the basketball once I got it."
Malone scored and scored and scored, and the Jazz won their
fourth straight and sent the Nets to their fourth straight loss.
"He is one of the greatest who ever played the game," Nets
guard Kendall Gill said. "And when they went to him ... he delivered."
Stockton added 14 assists, John Starks had 18 points and Byron
Russell added 14 for Utah, which overcame a seven-point
fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Nets for the second time in a
week and 12th straight overall.
Malone now has 31,344 points, leaving him 75 shy of tying Wilt Chamberlain (31,419) for the NBA's second career leading scorer.
Stephon Marbury had 33 points and Kenyon Martin added 19 and 10
rebounds for New Jersey. The Nets couldn't stop Malone once he was
hit with a technical by
"We never lost track of him down the stretch," Nets coach Byron Scott said of Malone. "He got deeper position, sealed us off and got quicker. He's an All-Star and All-Stars rise to the occasion. That's what he did."
After Johnny Newman made the free throw to extend the lead to six points, Malone and Stockton scored five points apiece in a 12-6 run. Stockton tied the game by answering Newman's 3-pointer with
one of his own.
After Starks hit a jumper and Williams made two free throws for
the Nets to tie the game at 84, Malone overpowered Williams inside
and sandwiched two three-point plays around two free throws by
Marbury to give Utah a 90-86 lead.
After Martin scored inside, Malone found Danny Manning all alone
for a layup after the Nets swarmed around him to stop him with 41.5
seconds to go.
New Jersey never threatened after that.
"They are so good, so experienced," said Marbury, who
outscored the Jazz 7-2 in the final 3:01 of the third quarter to
tie the game at 66. "You can't make any mistakes against them.
They take advantage of every little mistake you make against
them."
Game notes
Malone passed the 22,000-shot plateau in his career. He now
has taken 22,011. ... Nets backup center Jim McIlvaine missed the game with an intestinal infection. ... Nets power forward Keith Van Horn has to given the OK to jog. He broke his left leg in preseason game on Oct. 17. ... Williams had 11 rebounds for New Jersey but he also picked up four fouls in the final five minutes trying to stop
Malone. ... Marbury has scored 30-plus eight times in 14 games.
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NBA Scoreboard
Utah Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
Doctors clear Nets' Van Horn to begin light running
RECAPS
Atlanta 102
Washington 75
Boston 87
Cleveland 72
Milwaukee 102
Miami 101
Utah 98
New Jersey 92
Dallas 107
Toronto 93
Minnesota 96
Chicago 76
Sacramento 88
Houston 81
Seattle 105
Portland 93
LA Lakers 124
Indiana 107
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