Karl Malone Tops NBA Team; One Voter Shuns Magic, Jordan

Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone was the only unanimous choice on the 1989 all-National Basketball Assn. team announced Wednesday.

The rest of the team: Magic Johnson of the Lakers and Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls, guards; Akeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets, center, and Charles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76ers, forward.

Johnson and Jordan, who finished one-two in this year’s balloting for most valuable player, each were placed on the second team on one ballot. The voting was by a panel of 85 media members.

It was Malone’s first selection to the all-NBA team, although last year he was named to the second team. He finished third in this year’s MVP voting.

Missing from the team for the first time in this decade was Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, who played only six games this season because of injuries.

Malone, 25, in his fourth season in the league, averaged 29.1 points and 10.7 rebounds as he led the Jazz to a franchise-best 51-31 record.

Johnson was an all-NBA choice for the seventh consecutive year. It was the third consecutive time for Jordan and Olajuwon. Barkley was first honored last year.

The second team: John Stockton of Utah and Kevin Johnson of the Phoenix Suns, guards; Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks, center, and Tom Chambers of Phoenix and Chris Mullin of the Golden State Warriors, forwards.