NBA PLAYOFFS / WESTERN CONFERENCE : Malone Helps Jazz Push Spurs Closer to Ouster

Karl Malone had 24 points and 13 rebounds as the Utah Jazz rolled past the cold-shooting San Antonio Spurs, 105-72, on Tuesday night at Salt Lake City, pushing the Spurs to the brink of first-round playoff elimination.

Jeff Hornacek scored 15 points and John Stockton had 13 points and 12 assists for the Jazz, who took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five Western Conference quarterfinal series.

The Spurs, who are 0-4 this season and have lost 20 of 21 in Salt Lake City, played without Dennis Rodman. The league’s three-time rebounding champion was suspended for one game and fined $10,000 for flagrant and technical fouls in Utah’s 86-84 victory in Game 2 on Saturday at San Antonio.

David Robinson and Antoine Carr scored 16 points each for the Spurs, who made only 32% of their shots. Robinson made eight of 21. Terry Cummings, who started in place of Rodman, finished with six points and 11 rebounds.

Rodman will return to action for Game 4 on Thursday night, but it was shooting--not rebounding--that failed the Spurs on Tuesday night. The two teams were nearly even on the boards, but Utah was far ahead on its field-goal shooting, making 53% of its shots.

Leading by 14 points at halftime, the Jazz outscored the Spurs, 32-16, in the third period to put the game away. Hornacek made four of five shots in the quarter, and Malone, Stockton and Ty Corbin each scored six points.

Utah led going into the final quarter, 78-48. A 9-2 run gave the Jazz a 37-point lead, its largest of the game, with 9:39 to play.

Portland 118, Houston 115--Rod Strickland scored 25 points, 10 in the fourth quarter, and tied a team playoff record with 15 assists at Portland as the Trail Blazers avoided a first-round sweep.

Vernon Maxwell made two three-pointers in the final 27 seconds, one from 40 feet, to give the Trail Blazers a scare. But Portland’s Clyde Drexler deflected Maxwell’s forced three-point shot with three seconds to play and Houston trailing, 117-115. The Rockets didn’t get off another shot.

The Trail Blazers missed five free throws in the final 54 seconds, two by their best shooter from the foul line, Terry Porter, to give Houston a final chance.

Portland led most of the game and withstood a 36-point performance by Hakeem Olajuwon, but the Rockets lead the series, 2-1.

Buck Williams made nine of 10 shots, scored 22 points and had 10 rebounds for Portland. Drexler also scored 22 points and Clifford Robinson had 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Trail Blazers defeated the Rockets for the first time in seven games this season.

Robert Horry scored 24 points and Maxwell 19 for the Rockets.