Malone Does Less, but the Jazz Doesn’t

Twenty-three points were more than enough this time for Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz.

Malone had fewer than half the 50 points he scored in Game 1, but the Jazz didn’t need nearly that many Monday night in a 101-87 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics. Utah took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

“I’ll take everybody getting involved instead of me scoring 50 every night,” Malone said.

Game 3 is Saturday at Seattle, which trailed by 17 at halftime Monday and 27 at the end of three periods. Only 12 teams have rallied to win a series after trailing 2-0, and none since the Houston Rockets in 1995.

“I think the Jazz were vintage tonight. They were outstanding in every way, and we weren’t good in any way,” Seattle Coach Paul Westphal said. “It was a great game for them, a bad game for us. We need to play a lot better.”

John Stockton had 21 points and 11 assists for the Jazz, who shot 56% and rested their starters in the fourth quarter. Bryon Russell added 19 points and substitute Howard Eisley had 15, including four three-point baskets.

“We had a few things going decent for us,” Utah Coach Jerry Sloan said in a vast understatement. “I thought we were alive defensively, and when you’re alive defensively you’ve got a chance every night. It’s good to see the team with that type of enthusiasm.”

Malone became the fourth player in NBA history with 4,000 points in the playoffs, joining Michael Jordan (5,987 points), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5,762) and Jerry West (4,457).

He passed the 4,000-point mark on a layup with 4:32 left in the third period on an assist from--who else?--Stockton. Malone finished the game with 4,004 playoff points.

Horace Grant, who had primary responsibility for guarding Malone, said the SuperSonics may have spent too much time worrying about Malone and not enough about the rest of the Jazz.

“Whenever you go out and play defense like that, you’re going to lose ballgames. We didn’t have a clue,” Grant said. “Our main goal was to try to limit Karl’s touches. But when Bryon Russell got going and Stockton started hitting three, it was tough. You can’t let other guys hurt you the way they did.”

Gary Payton had 20 points for the SuperSonics, but also had seven turnovers and only one assist. Rashard Lewis added 19 for Seattle, which never led.

left in the third period.

The Jazz led, 86-59, entering the fourth quarter, and scored seven straight points, including a long three-pointer by Eisley as the 24-second clock expired, to take a 93-59 lead.