Stockton and Malone Can Feel Lakers’ Pain

John Stockton and Karl Malone often appear ageless on the court, but, in the dressing room after Friday night’s victory at the Great Western Forum over the Lakers, the truth was plain to see.

Stockton sat on a trainer’s table in an area of the dressing room blocked off from reporters, receiving ultrasound treatment on his left knee while wearing an ice pack on both knees.

It was apparent during the game that Stockton, 36, was hurting. He played only 11 minutes in the first half and 14 in the second. When on the bench, he had a bandage on his left thigh.

At one point in the fourth quarter, the Laker publicity department sought an injury report from the Jazz on Stockton and was told: “He’s fine.”

A few seconds later, he returned to the game, but, when it was over, he had played only two more minutes than his backup, Howard Eisley.

Malone, 34, was standing with both of his feet in ice buckets and wearing ice packs on both knees.

During the game, he wore a splint on his shooting hand. It seemed to affect him because he missed several open jump shots, although he finished with 26 points in 39 minutes.

Asked about the injuries to the two future Hall of Famers, Utah Coach Jerry Sloan said, “You have to ask the trainer about those things.”

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The Utah triumvirate of centers, Greg Foster, Greg Ostertag and Antoine Carr, had 18 fouls to give against Shaquille O’Neal and gave 13 of them.

“He got the ball and we backed up,” Sloan said. “If we’d backed up too far, we’d have been in the third or fourth row.”