|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME FLOW
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- There was an old-time feel to the
Jazz-Pacers game Friday night.
|  | | Donyell Marshall had 10 points, some the easy way, and eight rebounds for the Jazz. |
Karl Malone played his usual style -- rough and tumble, John
Stockton excelled at his game -- getting the ball to open players,
and John Starks thrived, too -- just like he did to the Pacers in the old days.
Malone and Starks combined for 48 points while Stockton dished
out a season-high 16 assists to lead the Jazz past Indiana 109-101.
"Malone is a 50 percent shooter, and that's why we have to get
him the ball," coach Jerry Sloan said after the Jazz dealt the
Pacers their third straight home loss. "Starks had a terrific game
for us. He made some big shots. By doing that, he was able to take
them out of their game."
Malone finished with 29 points and seven rebounds, while Starks
added 19 points.
But it wasn't just Malone, Starks and Stockton reliving the glory days.
Indiana's Reggie Miller did his best to turn back the clock by
trying to spark yet another fourth-quarter comeback.
He scored eight of his 24 points in the first 5:44 of the
quarter, but failed to bring the Pacers all the way back, primarily
because of the terrific play from the three old-timers who kept
finding ways to do what they've done so well for so long.
"We pretty much did what we wanted on offense, but we couldn't
stop Utah in the fourth quarter," Miller said. "We knew the
pick-and-roll was coming because they hadn't shown it in the first
three quarters. They drilled us with the pick-and-roll and we
didn't have the answer."
Even the free-throw shooting was old-school -- and darn near
perfect.
The Pacers shot a remarkable 40-of-41 from the line, while the
Jazz were 21 of 22. Combined, they shot 96.8 percent, just off the
NBA record of 97.3 percent.
The Pacers took little solace in that, though.
"We shot the ball well from the free-throw line," coach Isiah
Thomas said. "But I don't think we defended as well as we're
capable, especially in the first quarter."
That proved devastating.
Indiana couldn't contend with the Jazz's physical play, managing
just five offensive rebounds and playing from behind all night.
In fact, the Pacers had only one chance to take the lead on
Miller's errant 3-pointer with 5:36 to go.
Starks, the Pacers old nemesis from his days in New York,
countered with his own 3 to build a 92-88 lead, and the Pacers
never got closer than four the rest of the game.
"It's an ironic situation, I watch games every night and I see
teams struggling to get to 80 points," said Indiana guard Jalen
Rose, who scored 36 points and has scored 78 points in the Pacers'
last two games. "Here we are, a team that can get half of that
from the free-throw line, not turn the ball over more than 10
times, shoot a high-percentage at home and we still find a way to
not get it done."
Still, the Pacers managed to claw back from a 77-66 deficit late
in the third quarter.
Miller's flurry early in the fourth quarter got the Pacers
within 83-82.
But Utah kept finding aswers.
Donyell Marshall's tip-in on the next possession gave the Jazz a
three-point lead.
Then, after two free throws from Rose, Starks hit a 17-footer.
Two possessions later, following two more free throws from
Miller, Starks responded with a 19-footer.
"It was very important for me to get going," Starks said. "I
needed to come out, be focused and concentrate a little bit more. I
have to do my part to help the 11 other guys on this team."
Game notes
This is the first time Indiana has lost three straight at
Conseco Fieldhouse. ... In a 35-minute third quarter, there were 20
personal fouls and two technical fouls called, and the teams were a
combined 31-of-32 from the line. ... Utah, in the midst of a
six-game road trip, traditionally has its longest road trip of the
season just before Christmas. It has finished .500 or better on
seven of the last eight such trips and is now 3-2 on this road trip
with a game at Minnesota on Saturday remaining. ... The Pacers' loss made them just 2-8 against the Western Conference this season, a conference that they were 57-32 against during the past four seasons.
|
|
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Utah Clubhouse
Indiana Clubhouse
RECAPS
Utah 109
Indiana 101
New York 91
Philadelphia 71
Atlanta 78
Toronto 72
Miami 103
Cleveland 95
LA Lakers 108
Dallas 103
Charlotte 83
Minnesota 74
San Antonio 105
Golden State 87
Denver 116
Portland 96
Seattle 107
Washington 87
Sacramento 95
Vancouver 93
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Karl Malone Official Site
Bryon Russell Official Site
Reggie Miller Official Site
|
