Red-Hot Piatkowski Can’t Save Clippers

Even a career night by Eric Piatkowski couldn’t stop the losing for the Clippers.

The Utah Jazz sent the Clippers to their 14th consecutive loss, 102-93, Wednesday night despite a career-high 35 points from Piatkowski, who made six of his eight three-point attempts.

Karl Malone countered with 27 points for the Jazz and passed 2,000 points for the season, the 12th time in his 14-year career he has reached the milestone--more than any player in NBA history. The Jazz also moved closer to the Midwest Division title.

“I think it’s one of those things, when I finish playing, I think it will mean a whole lot,” Malone said. “But right now, while you’re playing, you’re thinking about doing something else.”

Malone, who broke Michael Jordan’s record, received a standing ovation from the 19,911 at the Delta Center when the mark was announced late in the third quarter.

“I think everybody, even sometimes myself, take him for granted,” guard John Stockton said. “You just expect things out of him. It’s kind of nice to sit back and appreciate what he does every night, every year. He’s something special.”

Utah leads defending NBA champion San Antonio by three games with four games left for each in the regular season. Utah plays at San Antonio on Saturday.

The game shaped up as a blowout, but the Clippers mounted a charge. Malone scored eight points after Michael Olowokandi cut the Jazz lead to one with 7:09 left in the game.

“These are the kind of things that should never happen,” Malone said of the squandered lead.

The Clippers were without their top two scorers, guard Derek Anderson and forward Maurice Taylor. Anderson was sidelined because of back spasms while Taylor was sidelined because of a sore left ankle.

“We needed to pick up some points,” Clipper interim Coach Jim Todd said. “We know [Piatkowski] is going to get a lot of minutes and if he has his shot going, he’s the all-time three-point shooting leader here in L.A.”

Utah completed a four-game season sweep of the Clippers, who also dropped their 18th in a row at the Delta Center.

The Clippers had a miserable second quarter, shooting 9% (two for 22) from the field and trailed, 50-33, at halftime.

“This is the NBA, you just can’t fall asleep on a team,” Clipper rookie Lamar Odom said. “We’re all professional athletes.”