Stockton Makes His Biggest Pass: Ahead of Magic : Pro basketball: Utah guard glad to end hoopla surrounding assist record.

The pass to the Mailman on the baseline, the shot, the record, the moment!

The cheers, the minicams, the ceremonies, the interviews . . .

Oh, n oooooo !

If John Stockton had known it was going to be so much trouble, he’d never have gotten this good. A man like Stockton, who does his own plumbing, isn’t anxious to tell David Letterman about his leisure activities. A man like Stockton, who sneaks out side doors to avoid signing a few autographs on the way to the bus, certainly wouldn’t do anything as stupid as breaking Magic Johnson’s assist record.

But that was what Stockton did with Wednesday night’s 11th assist--a routine pass to Karl Malone posting up for a fadeaway 15-footer--as the Jazz buried the Denver Nuggets, 129-88.

Stockton had 12 assists by halftime, played only seven minutes after that and finished the night with 16, giving him 9,927 and, at long last, a little peace and quiet.

“It feels great to have it over with,” he said at the postgame news conference, smiling publicly for one of the few times this week.

“I think when this meeting is over with, it’ll be even greater.”

As stars go, Stockton is an enigma, strong-willed, personable, but uncomfortable in the public eye. As a player, he is a marvel of efficiency but plays with a minimum of flair.

The other great point guards--Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Bob Cousy--were commanding presences, hotdogs or both. Even gifted rookie Jason Kidd crackles with excitement. Stockton is the guy you’d barely notice if they didn’t keep box scores showing him with an ungodly number of assists.

He is a connoisseur’s taste, like improvisational jazz. His greatest admirers are his peers and opposing coaches, breaking down their videotapes late at night, noticing that he never misses an opening.

Stockton started Wednesday night needing 10 assists to tie Johnson at 9,921. He had been knocking off big numbers for a week--15 at Seattle, 14 against New Jersey, 14 against the Minnesota--intent on ending the twin chase: Stockton pursuing Johnson, the media pursuing Stockton.

All week, he dismissed the record as “just a stat,” which, in his eyes, proved nothing. Magic was still the king, Stockton said. He had the championship rings to prove it.

After Stockton drew to within 10 assists of the record Monday against the Nets, he ducked out on the press.

Tuesday, at the pleas of the Jazz publicity department, he made the rounds of the local press. “My wife really wants to get it over with,” he said, “because I’m far from friendly around the house right now. It’s just more than we’re used to.”

Wednesday, he got it over with.

His first assist was a pass back to Jeff Hornacek, who made a 19-footer.

No. 2 was for Malone for a fast-break layup. Over the years, the two of them probably had 1,000 of those.

Stockton had five assists before he took his first shot--a 17-footer, which he made.

No. 10, tying Johnson, was to Tom Chambers for an 18-foot jumper.

Moments later, Stockton flipped the ball to Malone, posted up. Malone made the 15-footer that put his little buddy in the books by himself.

His parents watched from a courtside seat next to Jazz owner Larry Miller, who had flown them in. Otherwise, Jack and Clemmie weren’t coming. Jack runs a neighborhood tavern in Spokane, Wash., with a few Jazz signs on the walls but no pictures of John. You can see where John gets it.

“I’m glad it’s over for Stock,” Malone said. “When he’s ornery, it kind of sifts down through the team because he’s our captain.”

That’s how John Stockton left Magic Johnson in his rearview mirror, in one corner of the record books, anyway. Whatever it means, Stockton’s total is going higher.

“With his body and the way he plays,” Johnson said a few days ago, “he’s going to play for a long time. Nobody will break his records.”

It’s all downhill now. For Stockton, the first 9,922 were the hardest.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

CAREER ASSIST LEADERS

Player Assists *John Stockton 9,927 Magic Johnson 9,921 Oscar Robertson 9,887 Isiah Thomas 9,061 Maurice Cheeks 7,392 Lenny Wilkens 7,211 Bob Cousy 6,955 Guy Rodgers 6,917 Nate Archibald 6,476 John Lucas 6,454

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