Malone Scores 38 Points as Utah Advances to Series Against Lakers

High-scoring forward Karl Malone said the Jazz would not be returning to Portland for a fifth game in the opening round of the National Basketball Assn. playoffs. He was right.

Malone made sure the Jazz are going to Los Angeles to open the best-of-seven second round series Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at the Forum when he scored 38 points to lead the Jazz to a 111-96 victory over the Trail Blazers and a 3-1 win in the series.

Malone scored 28 of his points in the second half after the Trail Blazers led by two at halftime. It was still a dogfight through most of the third quarter.

But, when Portland center Kevin Duckworth got in foul trouble, the Jazz started to pull slowly away.

The crusher for the Trail Blazers, who were hoping to return the series to Portland for a fifth game Sunday was another bomb by Bobby Hansen. Hansen sank a three-pointer with 6:17 remaining and it raised Utah’s lead to 98-88.

Hansen, the 6-6 guard was 9 for 11 on three-point shots in the series, was another cocky Utah star.

After the Jazz won Wednesday night at the Salt Palace, 113-108, Hansen said there was no way there would be a return to Portland.

“We mean business,” he said. “We’re going to win Friday night. We’re not relaxing.”

It is not likely the Lakers are unhappy about playing Utah instead of Portland in the second round. The Lakers, who swept San Antonio, 3-0, in the opener, were 4-1 against the Jazz during the regular season and only 3-3 against the Trail Blazers.

In the first half the Jazz dominated until 7-4 Mark Eaton picked up his third foul in the middle of the second quarter.

With Eaton on the bench the Trail Blazers, turned back by the giant everytime they tried to score in close, stepped up their offense.

Duckworth led a closing surge in the first half that netted 13 consecutive points for Portland and a 53-51 lead.

Utah’s John Stockton had a career playoff high with 23 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds. Duckworth led Portland with 33 points.