Clippers Upended After Malone Gets Suspended

With Karl Malone suspended for Friday’s game, the Utah Jazz could have been in trouble against a talented, hungry opponent.

Luckily for the Jazz, they were playing the Clippers.

Howard Eisley had a career-high 22 points and seven teammates scored in double figures as the Jazz routed the Clippers, 126-109.

“This was the kind of game where we had to be mentally prepared, because the only team that was going to beat us was us,” said Chris Morris, who started for the first time this season and scored 16 points.

Malone was serving a one-game suspension for elbowing David Robinson on Wednesday. Malone, whose streak of 543 consecutive starts ended, had led the Jazz in scoring in 39 of the previous 41 games.

Maurice Taylor led the Clippers with 22 points off the bench, and Lamond Murray had 19.

Guard James Robinson had seven points and two technical fouls for arguing with officials in the first 3:53 of the second half.

When referee Joe Forte called a second technical on Robinson, the Clipper spit his gum at Forte and had to be physically restrained from going after Forte by referee Joe Borgia.

Isaac Austin missed his second consecutive game for the Clippers because of a strained right calf.

Stojko Vrankovic fouled out for the Clippers in only 15 minutes of play and failed to score.