Stockton Helps Jazz to 98-88 Win Over Clippers

John Stockton, the Utah Jazz’s star point guard, is one of the best-kept secrets in the National Basketball Assn.

Stockton, who leads the NBA in assists, gets overlooked because he isn’t as flashy as Magic Johnson of the Lakers or Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons.

“Stockton isn’t going to be a secret much longer,” Coach Frank Layden of the Jazz said after Stockton scored 19 points and passed off for a career-high 21 assists as the Jazz beat the Clippers, 98-88, Friday night before 8,208 fans at the Sports Arena.

“John played a great game,” Layden continued. “Stockton runs the floor well, and he never seems to get tired.”

Stockton also had eight steals, including seven in the first half, as the Jazz handed the Clippers their fifth straight loss.

“I think he (Stockton) had earned his respect,” said Clipper forward Michael Cage, who scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. “Any time a guy can get 21 assists, he’ got my respect. Twenty-one assists is like 42 points.”

Stockton doesn’t mind the lack of individual recognition.

“The real reward for me will be to make the playoffs,” he said. “It’s kind of nice being a secret because I get to sneak up on people. I get to do things Magic Johnson and Isiah can’t do.”

Karl Malone, Utah’s All-Star forward, scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Jazz extended its winning streak to three straight.

The Clippers play the Jazz again tonight in Salt Lake City.

“The hardest thing in the world is to play a team back-to-back,” Layden said. “But we’ll have the home-court advantage Saturday night.”

Coach Gene Shue tried almost everything to pump some life into the Clippers. He went with a lineup of three guards--Quintin Dailey, Larry Drew and Mike Woodson--along with center Benoit Benjamin and forward Michael Cage down the stretch.

However, it didn’t work as Utah built an 82-71 lead with 8:14 remaining in the game.

Dailey scored 19 points in 22 minutes before leaving with a groin injury in the final quarter. He will miss tonight’s game.

Dailey, who hit his first six shots off the bench, has been playing well, but he has been unable to crack the starting lineup because Shue likes to use him to provide instant offense.

“Dailey had a super first half,” Layden said. “If he makes the Hall of Fame, he should mention me in his acceptance speech because every year he gets better and better against the Jazz. I’m doing everything I can to make him an All-Star.”

The Clippers, who have lost 12 straight with the lineup of Drew, Woodson, Benjamin, Cage and Joe Wolf, may need to make a change, inserting Dailey.

“If I saw any merit in changing this lineup, I would have done it a long time ago,” Shue said.

The only other hope for the Clippers to turn things around would be to make a blockbuster trade. However, club officials say no trades are in the works before the NBA deadline next Thursday.

“I don’t expect us to make any major trades,” Shue said. “That doesn’t mean it won’t happen later. But, right now, I’ve got all my cards on the table.”

Shue is playing with a losing hand, however.

“The way we’re playing we’re not generating anything on offense,” said Woodson, who had 15 points. “We don’t seem to have any confidence. Unless we make a miraculous turnaround, we’re going nowhere fast.”

Benjamin was one of the Clippers’ few bright spots as he came within one block of posting a triple-double. Benjamin scored 10 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked 9 shots, just one shy of his career high set last month in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

“I had at least three more blocks that they didn’t count,” he said.

Benjamin also got into a minor scuffle with Malone after Mark Eaton, Utah’s starting center, charged into him. Malone stepped between Benjamin and Eaton, and Benjamin had a few words with Malone.

“Eaton was throwing elbows at me and I didn’t like it,” Benjamin said.

Clipper Notes

The Clippers, who have lost 17 straight road games, return home after tonight’s game to play the New York Knicks Thursday at the Sports Arena. The Clippers take on the Cleveland Cavaliers next Saturday. . . . Coach Gene Shue said the club will make a decision next week on whether to bring rookie swingman Reggie Williams off the injured list. Williams has been sidelined since last month with a strained left knee. . . . Sam Meyerhoff, attorney for Clipper forward Marques Johnson, said the Clippers are close to reaching a settlement of Johnson’s contract. Johnson has been out since last season when he ruptured a cervical disk in his neck Nov. 20, 1986 in a game against Dallas. Johnson refused to undergo surgery, and the club placed him on the suspended list and sued him for breach of contract. . . . Jazz forward Kelly Tripucka missed Friday’s game with a bruised right calf.