Jazz Comes On Strong and Takes a 2-1 Edge

The Utah Jazz has two blowout victories over the San Antonio Spurs in their Western Conference semifinal, and Karl Malone says there is no secret reason.

Malone scored 32 points Saturday in Utah’s 105-75 Game 3 rout. That and a 95-75 victory in Game 1 gave the Jazz a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“Going to the basket strong sets the tone for us. I see what the defense gives me and play off that,” said Malone, who was 14 for 24, mixing inside power moves with perimeter jump shots.

“We’ve been aggressive on both sides--offense and defense,” said Jazz reserve Howard Eisley, who finished with 14 points. “Everyone who stepped on the floor had that frame of mind.”

The Jazz defense held David Robinson to 11 points, with Malone getting much of the time opposite the Spur center, who had averaged 26.5 points in the first two games.

Utah outshot San Antonio 53% to 40%, with Robinson making four of 10 shots.

“A lot of us are not playing the way we are capable,” Robinson said. “We haven’t scored in this series, we haven’t executed, we haven’t adjusted to them.”

Game 4 is tonight at the Delta Center with Game 5 back in San Antonio on Tuesday night.

“When Karl is going, the rest of the team feeds off him--and we all really get going,” Utah Coach Jerry Sloan said. “He was in the groove today.”

Malone--who scored half his points in the first quarter when Utah took a 32-20 lead--also had 11 rebounds, six assists, a steal and a blocked shot.

“He was phenomenal. He delivered,” Robinson said. “He did everything they asked him to do.”

But Malone, who had averaged 23.5 points in the first two games, still wasn’t satisfied.

“I haven’t played really good since this series began,” Malone insisted. “[This time] the shots were just falling and falling for me earlier.”

Jeff Hornacek added 17 points for Utah. Sean Elliott led the Spurs with 17.

“All we have to do is win [tonight]. A win gives us our home-court advantage back,” Spur Coach Bob Hill said. “At this point in the season, I don’t know why we wouldn’t respond.”

A 10-2 run--beginning with a midcourt alley-oop pass from John Stockton to Malone--gave Utah a 61-44 lead midway through the third quarter. Chris Morris’ three-point shot put the Jazz up by 20 points with 3:24 left in the period.

NBA Notes

Orlando Magic point guard Penny Hardaway is uncertain for today’s Game 3 at Atlanta because of sore hamstrings. Hardaway left in the third quarter of Friday’s 120-94 rout of the Hawks and did not return. He finished with 15 points and seven assists in 29 minutes as Orlando took a 2-0 series lead. “His right hamstring just tightened up,” Orlando trainer Lenny Currier said after Friday’s game. “He went along and he just wasn’t able to get loose.”