|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME FLOW
DENVER (AP) -- Although a step slower than he was in his prime,
Karl Malone still has some juice left in those 37-year-old legs.
Playing against up-tempo Denver, Malone scored 30 points --
including eight on the fast break -- as the Utah Jazz outran,
outshot and outplayed the Nuggets in a 97-91 victory Monday night.
|  | | Karl Malone, who led the Jazz with 30 points, isn't happy after getting called for a technical foul in the first half. |
"They kicked our butt in transition," Denver point guard Nick
Van Exel said. "Old man Karl Malone beat us up and down the court.
He was out there like he was 20 years old. We can't beat that team
if they score more fast-break points than we do."
The Jazz, who ended Denver's nine-game home winning streak,
executed its half-court game with efficiency and outscored the
Nuggets 23-9 in transition.
"They are a running team. They like to make teams play their
style," Malone said. "At times, we ran when we had the
opportunity. When we didn't, we set up in the half-court offense."
Bryon Russell and Donyell Marshall each scored 13 points for
Utah, and John Stockton had 11 assists to help the Jazz win an
important Midwest Division game. The Nuggets trail first-place Utah
by three games in the bunched-up West.
"I don't know if this overstated the importance of the win. We
just wanted to get back to our winning ways," Malone said. "We
have been up and down, and they had been playing really well."
Van Exel, playing on a ruptured tendon in his right foot, led
Denver with 21 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Antonio
McDyess had 18 points and 13 rebounds for his 33rd double-double of
the season.
The Nuggets, who hadn't lost at home since Dec. 28, fell behind
less than three minutes into the game and could never recover
during a poor shooting night. Denver entered the game eighth in the
league in 3-point percentage (36.5) but went 6-for-29 from long
range.
"You are going to have nights like that," Nuggets coach Dan
Issel said. "Nobody misses a shot intentionally. You are going to
have nights when the ball doesn't go in the basket, and it is hard
not to let that affect the rest of your game."
The game had none of the suspense or intrigue of last Thursday's
Jazz-Nuggets game when Stockton hit two deciding technical foul
shots with 1.3 seconds left after Denver called a timeout when it
had none remaining.
The Jazz, who have won eight of 10, never allowed the Nuggets to
score more than six straight points and led by 13 heading to the
fourth quarter.
Utah pushed the lead to 15 with 4:30 left before Denver made a
modest comeback. Van Exel scored nine points in less than two
minutes, and the Nuggets got as close as four after George McCloud
converted three free throws with four seconds remaining.
Marshall iced it with two free throws two seconds later.
"They definitely knew we were going to want to come out and
show that last game we felt we got robbed," McCloud said. "In our
mind, we were going to come out and really try to win this game.
They fought power with power."
Utah, playing its first road game since Jan. 6, made nine of its
first 11 shots and used a 15-0 run to take control of the game
early. Denver was able to recover somewhat in the second quarter
and trailed 47-36 at halftime.
Game notes
Denver, 21-6 at home, opens a six-game road trip Wednesday
at Milwaukee. ... Nuggets C Raef LaFrentz missed his second
straight game with a sprained right ankle. ... The Nuggets signed G
Anthony Goldwire to a 10-day contract, placed G Calbert Cheaney on
the injured list and waived C Garth Joseph. ... Malone needs three
points for 32,000 in his career. ... The Jazz had lost four
straight in Denver.
|
|
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Utah Clubhouse
Denver Clubhouse
Foot injury can't keep Nuggets' Van Exel out of lineup
RECAPS
Boston 99
Detroit 87
Washington 95
Cleveland 89
Phoenix 95
Atlanta 82
Minnesota 99
Milwaukee 96
Utah 97
Denver 91
Vancouver 97
New Jersey 86
Charlotte 93
Golden State 85
San Antonio 96
LA Clippers 67
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Karl Malone Official Site
Bryon Russell Official Site
|
