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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SEATTLE (AP) – Despite their age, the Utah Jazz are acting as if
they're determined to win the NBA title that has eluded John
Stockton and Karl Malone all these years.
|  | | Gary Payton goes low as he looks for room to get past Olden Polynice. |
Malone scored 33 points and the Utah Jazz won their fifth game
in a row and seventh straight on the road with a 96-84 victory over
the Seattle SuperSonics Friday night.
Coming off a win in Portland on Thursday night, the Jazz
improved to 37-16, best in the West, and went 3-0 against the
Sonics, winning twice in Seattle. They've won 10 of their last 11
starts.
"They're really playing well," Sonics coach Nate McMillan
said. "You still have to pay attention to Stockton and Malone and
now they have Donyell Marshall, who is feeding off those guys."
Malone had 23 of his points in the second half, including 12 in
the final quarter, when the Jazz pulled away after the score was
tied after three periods.
"It's fun," said Malone, who shot 12-for-22 and had 10
rebounds. "I'm playing with a group of guys now who are giving me
more energy."
Stockton is 38 and Malone is 37. Utah coach Jerry Sloan is not
precise on their ages, but he made a good point afterward.
"If you can't keep up with a guy 39 years old, then you're not
working very hard," Sloan said.
The Sonics lost for the third time in four games since the
All-Star break. Gary Payton led Seattle with 19 points.
In the final quarter, Payton's 3-pointer cut Utah's lead to
78-76 with 4:48 left before Malone went to work.
Malone sank a 17-footer and followed that with an 18-footer to
put the Jazz in front 82-76. Marshall followed his own three-point
play by driving through the key for a layup that gave Utah an 87-76
lead with 3:05 left.
Marshall had 20 points and John Starks 12 for Utah, while Ruben
Patterson scored 17 and Rashard Lewis 16 for Seattle.
Lewis, who was hospitalized overnight because of a stomach
virus, got out of the hospital at noon Friday and played 38
minutes.
"I'm cool. I'm OK. I'm a little weak, but once I got out on the
court, being sick wasn't on my mind at all," Lewis said.
The Sonics were hampered in the final quarter by the absence of
Vin Baker, their starting power forward. Baker was limited to 21
minutes because of a jammed finger on his left hand, an injury he
sustained in the second quarter.
Greg Ostertag came off the bench to get nine rebounds, six in
the final period and four of them offensive rebounds.
With Baker gone, the Sonics were forced to try to stop the
6-foot-9 Malone with the 6-5 Patterson. With 2:18 left, Malone told
Patterson he was going to post up near the basket and there was no
way he could stop him.
"I told Karl I wasn't scared of him," Patterson said with a
smile. "But I really love him. He's a great player. He was on fire
tonight."
Malone wasn't mad at Patterson.
"It's all in fun with me and Ruben," he said. "I've been kind
of kidding around with him for a couple of years. It makes you
focus when guys tell you you can't do a certain thing."
Malone scored 11 points in the third quarter, when the Jazz
outscored the Sonics 13-3 in the first 4:59 to take a 57-50 lead. A
fastbreak dunk by Patterson and two free throws by Lewis in the
final 1:18 tied the score at 67.
Game notes
Before the game, McMillan said he didn't have any input in
keeping his roster intact. He said general manager Wally Walker
made the decision not to make a deal or deals before Thursday's NBA
trading deadline. There was speculation that the Sonics were going
to trade Payton because Walker said there were no untouchable
players this season. "It wasn't my call," McMillan said. "It was
Wally's call." As a result of Walker's decision, the pressure is
on the Sonics to get into the playoffs. "We kept the team the
same," McMillan said. "Now, we're faced with trying to make the
playoffs. I think we'll be under the scope for the last two months
of the season. Whatever happens the rest of this season will
determine where the organization goes."
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Utah Clubhouse
Seattle Clubhouse
RECAPS
Sacramento 119
Toronto 118
Indiana 92
Cleveland 90
Phoenix 88
New York 84
Philadelphia 99
Detroit 78
Minnesota 122
Golden State 83
Houston 105
Orlando 95
Milwaukee 93
Vancouver 81
San Antonio 100
Boston 82
Utah 96
Seattle 84
LA Lakers 113
Atlanta 106
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