ESPN Network: ESPN.com | NFL.com | NBA.com | NHL.com | WNBA.com | ABCSports | EXPN | FANTASY | INSIDER

  Scores/Schedules
  Standings
  Statistics
  Transactions
  Injuries
  Players
  Message Board
  NBA StatSearch
  NBA en espaņol
Clubhouses





Saturday, Jan. 13 9:00pm ET
Balanced attack keys Jazz victory

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Defense. Teamwork. Unselfish play. This is how Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan likes to see his team perform.

Harold Rasmussen
A Jazz fan takes sides in the Kobe-Shaq squabble.
John Starks and John Stockton each scored 21 points and Karl Malone had 20 as the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-103 on Saturday night in an emotional Western Conference showdown.

Donyell Marshall scored 18 points in his third straight start, replacing the injured Bryon Russell. And with the Jazz getting a two-day break last week before returning to practice on Friday, everyone was rested.

"We had a lot of people play well," Sloan said. "We shot the ball better for the most part and I thought our energy level seemed to be a little higher after we had a few days off."

Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers with 30 points and Kobe Bryant had 27, a near-even split in the scoring column for the superstars whose feud over their roles in the offense became public last week.

O'Neal didn't want to talk afterward. He strolled through a throng of reporters in the Los Angeles locker room, headphones covering his ears with the music turned up.

Yet while O'Neal and Bryant put up their usual numbers, the Jazz got a more balanced effort, especially from their second unit.

Jacque Vaughn came off the bench for 12 points and Utah outplayed the Lakers even when it was Vaughn, Danny Manning, Greg Ostertag, David Benoit and DeShawn Stevenson on the floor.

"You can't outscore Utah at home, especially after they've had four days rest," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "We came out and they really beat us to the ball. The game was won in the first five minutes of the third quarter."

It was a tiring week for the Lakers, who dealt with distractions from Bryant and O'Neal before getting a hard-fought victory over Cleveland on Friday night at the Staples Center.

"The Jazz did an excellent job," said Bryant, who shot 8-for-24. "We were definitely trying to win, not think about the past. They got certain criticals in pressure situations, plays we wanted to execute that we didn't execute."

The Jazz maintained a 10-point lead through much of the last 20 minutes and held off the Lakers down the stretch. Utah hit 10 of 14 free throws and held a 14-9 rebounding advantage in the fourth quarter.

Starks scored 15 first-half points on 7-for-9 shooting as Utah built a 58-55 lead at the break. After hitting a jumper with one minute to play, he waved at a cluster of gold-clad L.A. fans in the arena's upper deck.

"It was a good performance. I wanted to come out and be aggressive," Starks said. "The difference tonight was just being focused and playing a relaxed ball game. I thought we all played a relaxed ball game."

His 21 points were a season high.

The scene at the Delta Center was reminiscent of a playoff game, with fans vocally badgering the Lakers at every opportunity and screaming in delight each time O'Neal or Bryant was called for a foul.

The Jazz expected a physical game and refused to be intimidated. After Utah built a 71-59 lead midway through the third, O'Neal and Olden Polynice got into a shoving match under the Lakers' basket.

It started when O'Neal drove the lane and Polynice wrapped him in an arm lock to prevent a dunk. The two locked up under the standard before Polynice was called for a flagrant foul and double technicals were assessed.

"Maybe he felt I hit him too hard, but I've got to play the way I can," Polynice said. "It's all part of the game. I wanted him to know I'm not backing down."

Fans howled in protest and Jazz owner Larry Miller even left his courtside seat to vent his frustration, yelling at officials as they huddled near midcourt to sort everything out.

Bryant and O'Neal showed no outward signed of their feud. Following the trend the Lakers usually show, O'Neal did most of the scoring in the first half and Bryant found his range in the second.

But ultimately, the Jazz simply outplayed the Lakers. Utah's second unit, led by the speedy Vaughn, saw significant minutes in the second half and matched or beat the defending champs on almost every possession.

Game notes
Shortly after his third-quarter faceoff with Polynice, O'Neal collided with a television cameraman under Utah's basket. Emergency medical personnel attended as the game continued. ... Russell, who missed his second straight game with a bone chip and sprained right ankle, isn't expected to return until a Jan. 21 game against Phoenix. ... The Lakers have lost two of their last three. ... Stockton, at 6-foot-1, 175-pounds, wrestled a rebound from the 7-1, 320-pound O'Neal. Asked how he did it, Stockton smiled and said: "Must have had it first."
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard

LA Lakers Clubhouse

Utah Clubhouse

Magic to feuding stars: It's all about the winning


RECAPS
Phoenix 103
Dallas 86

New York 91
Portland 78

Atlanta 108
LA Clippers 88

Indiana 87
Miami 71

Orlando 111
Golden State 94

Philadelphia 100
San Antonio 83

Sacramento 84
Houston 81

Milwaukee 115
New Jersey 81

Utah 111
LA Lakers 103

Vancouver 119
Cleveland 107

FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT

Karl Malone Official Site

Bryon Russell Official Site

Kobe Bryant Official Site

Rick Fox Official Site

Mark Madsen Official Site


ESPN.com:  HELP |  ADVERTISER INFO |  CONTACT US |  TOOLS |  SITE MAP
Copyright ©2000 ESPN Internet Group. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Employment opportunities at ESPN.com.