Malone, Jazz embarrass Spurs again, take 2-1 lead

Malone, who sat out the fourth quarter, was 14 of 24 from the field and pulled down 11 rebounds for the Jazz, who can push the Spurs to brink of elimination with a victory in Game 4, which will be played at the Delta Center today.

Reserve guard Howard Eisley added 14 points for the Jazz, who have twice embarrassed the Midwest Division champion Spurs in the best-of-seven series. Utah won, 95-75, in Game 1 at San Antonio.

Sean Elliott scored 17 points to lead the Spurs, who could reclaim the homecourt advantage with a victory Sunday. San Antonio's David Robinson, managed just 11 points on 4-for-10 shooting -- well below his 26.5 scoring average in the first two games.

A 10-2 run -- beginning with a midcourt alley-oop pass from John Stockton to Malone -- gave Utah a 61-44 lead midway through the third quarter. Chris Morris' three-pointer put the Jazz up 20 with 3:24 remaining in the period.

At the 2:20 mark, the Spurs' Chuck Person was called for a loose-ball foul and a technical and was ejected after a basket by Eisley. Subsequent free throws by Hornacek and Adam Keefe put the Jazz ahead by 22, and Hornacek's three-pointer just before the horn made it 83-58.

Reserves played the fourth quarter, with Utah's clearly getting the better of it: Eisley's baseline jumper gave the Jazz their biggest lead, 33 points, with 3:44 to play.

Malone had 16 points in the first quarter, scoring 11 in a 15-1 burst that gave the Jazz a 32-20 lead.

Midway through the second period, a 14-6 Spurs run -- ending with Robinson's baseline jumper -- cut San Antonio's deficit to 48-42 with 1:43 remaining in the half.

However, Malone had the final three points of the first half to rebuild Utah's lead to 51-42 at halftime.