Duncan and Spurs Tower Over Malone and Jazz, 83-69

Don’t engrave Karl Malone’s name on that most valuable player trophy just yet. Tim Duncan is making some special deliveries of his own.

Duncan had 36 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Utah Jazz, 83-69, Tuesday night at Salt Lake City.

The loss ended Utah’s 11-game winning streak and pulled the Spurs within three games of the Jazz’s league-best record. San Antonio also clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

“I felt great out there, as you could see,” Duncan said. “This was a big game for us, and we responded like a very good team has to do.”

If the ecstatic whoops coming from the Spurs’ locker room after the game were any indication, San Antonio also has tossed the Jazz monkey off its back. The Jazz had beaten the Spurs eight of the last nine meetings, including four of five in last year’s conference semifinals.

“It was the kind of game you’d expect with the rivalry that exists here,” Spur Coach Gregg Popovich said. “These guys have beaten us 97 out of 100, I think.”

With his dominating performance, Duncan more than covered for a foul-plagued game from his Twin Towers partner, David Robinson. Duncan had 14 points in the third quarter as the Spurs built a sizable lead over the out-of-sync Jazz, who shot only 35.4%.

“Maybe we thought we could just show up at home with an 11-game winning streak and take care of business,” Malone said. “We’re the Jazz. If we only score 69 points, anybody can beat us on any given night.”

Dallas 104, Phoenix 100--Michael Finley scored a season-high 36 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 6.5 seconds left, as the injury-depleted Mavericks overcame a 16-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Suns at Dallas.

Finley has been a disappointment in the first year of a five-year, $42-million contract, but he is finishing the season with a flourish, and Tuesday night he went 14 for 25 from the field and also had 10 rebounds and four assists.

With the game tied at 100-100, Finley worked the clock inside seven seconds and connected on a 17-foot shot to bring the Mavericks back from an 18-point third-quarter deficit.

Erick Strickland deflected the ensuing inbounds pass by Phoenix’s Jason Kidd and Dallas’ Chris Anstey collected the loose ball with 3.6 seconds left. Finley made two free throws with 2.6 to play.

Milwaukee 95, Orlando 83--The Magic went scoreless over the last 2:36 as the Bucks pulled away for an easy victory at Milwaukee.

The Bucks finished with a 25-7 run and the Magic, losers of two in a row, did not score after the game was tied, 83-83.

Chicago 83, Washington 77--Toni Kukoc scored 25 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had nine assists before separating his left shoulder late in the fourth quarter as the Bulls held on to beat the Wizards at Chicago.

The Bulls, who beat Milwaukee on Sunday, won back-to-back games for only the second time this season. It was the sixth consecutive road loss for the Wizards.

Chicago also got 15 points and 13 rebounds from Dickey Simpkins, and some huge defense from rookie Cory Carr, making his first start.

The Wizards’ Otis Thorpe had nine rebounds to go over the 10,000 mark and become the 16th player in NBA history to have at least 15,000 points and 10,000 rebounds.

Atlanta 103, Toronto 81--The Raptors shut down Dikembe Mutombo, but they didn’t shut down Chris Crawford at Toronto.

A double-teamed Mutombo had only 10 points, while Crawford, a second-year forward, had a career-high 18 points as the Hawks won their third straight game.

Portland at Denver, ppd.--The game was postponed because of the fatal school shooting spree in the Denver suburb of Littleton. It was expected to be rescheduled.