Malone Moves Up Scoring List

Karl Malone reached a few more milestones Thursday night at Salt Lake City.

Malone started his 500th consecutive game, scored 39 points and passed John Havlicek on the career scoring list as the Utah Jazz beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 116-109.

Malone, whose starting streak is tops among active players, was 13 for 16 from the field and 13 for 15 from the foul line. His free throw 2:04 into the game gave him 26,396 points, passing Havlicek for eighth place on the scoring list.

“Records aren’t something that just happen,” Malone said. “You’ve got to plan and prepare your whole career. Then good things happen.”

Neither team led by more than nine points until the fourth quarter, when Utah went on a 24-11 run and held Milwaukee without a field goal for 6:38.

Buck forward Tyrone Hill sprained his right knee during the second quarter and will be reevaluated today.

Seattle 109, Cleveland 84--Vin Baker scored 25 points at Cleveland as the SuperSonics shut down Shawn Kemp and overwhelmed the Cavaliers in the first matchup between Kemp and his former team.

Seattle proved why they might be an even better team without him. The SuperSonics improved their NBA-best record to 28-6 with their seventh consecutive win.

They also held Kemp, their former superstar traded in the off-season, to nine points.

Baker, who went from Milwaukee to Seattle in the three-team trade, dominated Kemp in the first quarter. The SuperSonics effectively put the game away in the first few minutes of the second quarter and led, 90-56, after three.

Indiana 87, Houston 80--Jalen Rose scored 18 points as the Pacers beat the injury-riddled Rockets at Houston for their 11th win in 14 games.

The Pacers, off to their best start in the NBA, pulled within a half-game of Central Division-leading Chicago.

Sacramento 103, Dallas 92--Olden Polynice set season-highs with 26 points and 16 rebounds as the Kings extended their season-long winning streak to four games at Dallas.

Polynice scored eight points as the Kings took control by outscoring Dallas, 28-15, in the second quarter.

New Jersey 89, Orlando 87--Kerry Kittles had a season-high 27 points and a career-high 12 rebounds at East Rutherford, N.J., as the Nets ended a two-game losing streak.