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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) -- The numbers are on Karl Malone's side. If he
chooses to play three more seasons, he's got a good shot at
becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
|  | | Karl Malone topped the 32,000-point mark on Tuesday, but he sits at 12,999 rebounds. |
Malone had 25 points to pass the 32,000-point plateau as the
Utah Jazz ended Seattle's five-game winning streak with a 102-88
victory Tuesday night.
Malone, the second leading scorer in NBA history, pushed his
career scoring total to 32,022 points. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the
league's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points.
"It's about seven more thousand, we'll see," the 16-year
veteran said.
Actually, he trails Abdul-Jabbar by 6,365 points now.
Although he passed another milestone, he didn't want to dwell on
it.
"It's great, but I've played a long time and it's tough right
now because I'm still playing," Malone said. "But to look back on
it and say that only two players have scored that many points in
their careers, to be in this position now, it's neat."
Malone, picked for his 13th All-Star game earlier in the day,
was 6-for-11 shooting and 13-for-13 from the free-throw line.
Malone's accomplishments have become old hat for his coach,
Jerry Sloan.
"I wasn't aware of that (32,000 points)," Sloan said.
"Somebody mentioned that, but I forgot all about it. I guess I
should go congratulate him."
His longtime teammate, John Stockton, was quick to salute
Malone, though.
"He just keeps kinda racking them up," Stockton said. "He's a
special player. A great teammate, a special player."
The Sonics agreed.
"He's a Hall of Famer," Seattle coach Nate McMillan said.
"He's a great player."
In their first game of the season with the Jazz, the Sonics
withered under Utah's intensive defensive pressure at the start of
the final quarter.
The Jazz scored the first 11 points of the fourth period to take
an 87-67 lead before Gary Payton of the Sonics made two free
throws with 6:29 left. Payton topped Seattle with 23 points.
The Jazz had six players in double figures, including 17 by
Donyell Marshall on 8-for-13 shooting.
Brent Barry scored 15 points for Seattle.
Malone, 37, also pulled down nine rebounds and had seven
assists. He now has 12,999 career rebounds.
The Jazz used a 13-3 run in the third quarter to take a 74-65
lead. John Stockton started the run with his first basket of the
game and added two free throws before Marshall's dunk.
Barry had a 3-pointer for Seattle's only points in the run
before Olden Polynice had a 15-footer, Malone made a free throw,
Marshall sank a 20-footer and John Starks hit a 15-footer after a
fastbreak.
Ruben Patterson of the Sonics committed two offensive fouls in
the run.
Game notes
The Sonics' Desmond Mason, who went to Stillwater, Okla.,
following the plane crash that took the lives of two Oklahoma State
basketball players, missed the game. He will return to the Sonics
Wednesday night or Thursday morning and be in uniform Thursday
night against Chicago. Mason played four years at Oklahoma State.
... Sloan was disappointed that Stockton didn't make the All-Star
team. Stockton, a 10-time All-Star, made the 2000 team after
missing the 1998 and '99 games. "He's right near the top in three
offensive categories," Sloan said. "If our team was in last
place, I'd say he shouldn't be considered, but winning is an
important part of this game." Stockton wasn't upset. "It would
have been a great honor," he said. "But it didn't happen, so I'll
enjoy the weekend anyway."
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Utah Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
RECAPS
LA Lakers 102
Cleveland 96
Orlando 93
Indiana 86
Toronto 96
Philadelphia 89
Miami 103
Houston 85
Portland 92
Chicago 81
Utah 102
Seattle 88
Sacramento 105
Golden State 79
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Karl Malone Official Site
Bryon Russell Official Site
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