Malone, Jazz Meet at Last

It’s the type of smile that makes you think its owner has a secret. Karl Malone had that look Saturday afternoon at Laker practice.

Malone talked about playing tonight against the Utah Jazz, his first game against his former team, five months into the season.

“There’s a little bit of emotion because I played with a lot of guys on the team,” he said. “But once I go out there, I think it will all go to the wayside.”

Malone did not play in the Lakers’ first three games against the Jazz. He sat out the first meeting because he was serving a one-game suspension for elbowing Dallas’ Steve Nash and sat out the next two games because of a right knee injury.

The way Malone sees it, better late than never.

“It’s hard,” Malone said of putting his emotions aside, “but that’s part of it. I’m really looking forward to it. But I don’t want to get caught up in trying to beat those guys individually. I just want to do it as a team.

“To be able to come back from a major injury [and play against the Jazz] is something I’m looking forward to.”

Although most of Malone’s longtime Jazz teammates, including John Stockton and current Laker Bryon Russell, are no longer in Utah, Malone’s relationship with the franchise has been dicey since he signed with the Lakers.

It reached an all-time low on Jan. 24 when the Lakers played at Utah and the Jazz mascot conducted in a fake telephone conversation with a Malone impersonator that was played over the public address system. The skit, between the first and second quarters of the Lakers’ 93-86 victory, mocked Malone and Kobe Bryant. Malone, who was on the injured list and not with the team for the game, has not forgotten.

Malone is happy that tonight’s game means something for both teams, with Utah in the hunt for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

“They’re playing for something and we’re playing for something,” Malone said. “These games are really important.”

Laker Coach Phil Jackson figures Malone will have extra motivation.

“It will be interesting and we’ll have to monitor him a little bit so that he’s not too animated for the game,” Jackson said. “I think he’ll be pumped up about it.”

The Lakers are 26-6 with Malone in the lineup, and even when he’s having an off shooting game -- such as his one-for-nine performance Friday against Minnesota -- he makes his presence felt.

“He’s a real active player,” Jackson said. “He’s a real aggressive defender. He’s always in there on the boards whacking away at things. He’ll make passes ... even those that don’t turn out into completions, but he’s looking to do the right thing and I think that’s contagious.”

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Since the start of the month, Shaquille O’Neal has been dominant on the boards. In his last 10 games, O’Neal has averaged almost 16 rebounds, including two outings with more than 20.

So what’s behind O’Neal’s increased interest in rebounding? Pride, according to Jackson.

After O’Neal grabbed a season-low two rebounds in the Lakers’ victory at Washington on Feb. 28, he took some ribbing from teammates.

“He’s had a couple of [games] where he’s had one rebound in the first half,” Jackson said. “Some of the players kind of pointed that out, [saying] it’s almost impossible for him to play X amount of minutes and not to have rebounds when you’re 7 feet tall.”

When asked who the players were, Jackson smiled and said: “I don’t remember who the person was, but in that incident, I think it prodded him.”

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TONIGHT

vs. Utah, 6:30, Fox Sports Net

Site -- Staples Center.

Radio -- KLAC (570), KWKW (1330).

Records -- Lakers 49-23, Jazz 38-35.

Record vs. Jazz -- 2-1.

Update -- The Lakers have won seven consecutive games, and if they pass Sacramento to gain the No. 1 seeding and Utah beats out Denver and Portland for No. 8, the Lakers and Jazz would face each other in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.