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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – To Peja Stojakovic, the Sacramento Kings
aren't invincible. They're just confident as the playoffs come into
focus.
|  | | Sacramento's Chris Webber goes over the top of Greg Ostertag much the same as the Kings flew by the Jazz.
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Chris Webber scored 26 points and Stojakovic added 25 as the
Kings beat the Utah Jazz 92-86 Thursday night, adding to Utah's
woes against the top Western Conference teams.
"This helps us a lot. It keeps us alive," Stojakovic said
after the Kings stayed 2½ games back of San Antonio for the best
record in the Western Conference.
"We're getting stronger for the playoffs," he said. "We know
we can still be beaten, but this means we're maturing as a team."
Whatever the case, they're feeling a lot better these days than
the struggling Jazz, who tumbled from the third position in the
West to the fifth because of victories by Dallas and the Los
Angeles Lakers.
If the playoffs began right now, the Jazz would open on the
road.
"Forget about the race in the Western Conference," said Karl
Malone, who led Utah with 21 points. "I'd just like to win. All
you can do is keep playing."
Utah's sense of urgency was apparent when the Jazz rallied from
a nine-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter, closing to 87-86 on John Stockton's layup with 48.3 seconds remaining.
But the Kings got three late free throws from Stojakovic and
Doug Christie, and Bobby Jackson got free for a breakaway basket as
the Kings pulled away to take the season series 3-1.
"We really held the court," Webber said. "We didn't let the
officiating get to us. Seems like every time we play here, we come
up with some crazy circumstance. We're just glad we played well and
beat a good team at home."
After Stojakovic hit two free throws to give Sacramento an 89-86
lead with 33.8 seconds to go, Stockton drove at the other end and
missed a layup. He bumped into Vlade Divac, who got the rebound,
and Stockton wanted the foul.
Stockton even took time, as Christie stood at the free throw
line with 22.4 seconds left, to walk into the backcourt and show
referee Ron Olesiak the scratch marks on his arm.
Olesiak looked at Stockton and shook his head, symbolically
describing Utah's plight as the season winds down. Asked afterward
if the officiating contributed to Utah's defeat, Stockton stood
silent and shook his head.
"Every game is a tough one," he said when asked if the Jazz,
who play five of their remaining seven on the road, have a tough
schedule remaining. "You have to play them out to the end. All the
losses are hard to take."
For years, the Delta Center was one of the NBA's toughest arenas
for visiting teams, but the Jazz are 1-9 at home this season
against the top five teams in the Western Conference.
Donyell Marshall had 14 points, Bryon Russell 12 and Stockton 11
for Utah.
Jackson scored 13 and Christie 12 for the Kings.
Utah trailed 80-71 with 6:31 to play after Stojakovic hit two
free throws, but the Jazz rallied to 82-80 when John Starks hit a
long jumper with 3:36 remaining. It was tight from there until the
final minute.
Things went great through much of the first half for the Jazz,
who led 35-14 late in the first quarter.
But the Kings stayed patient and, despite two extended scoring
droughts in the second period, closed the opening half with a 20-4
run to pull to 47-42 at the break. Stojakovic tied it at 56 on a
jumper with 6:02 remaining in the third.
"We never recovered from that emotionally," said Jazz coach
Jerry Sloan. "We seemed to hang our heads after they got back into
the game right at the end of the second quarter."
Game notes
Sacramento rookie swingman Hidayet Turkoglu, nursing a
sprained left ankle, didn't travel with the Kings on the road trip
to Utah at Vancouver. ... Word from the Jazz is that Sloan won't be
fined or suspended by the NBA for a tirade following his ejection
late in a defeat Tuesday against the Lakers. ... Stockton had three fouls
at halftime, but wasn't whistled again. He hasn't fouled out since
1996-97. ... Nick Anderson, sidelined since Feb. 18 with back
spasms, was activated Tuesday by the Kings. He was scoreless in
four minutes. ... The Kings' 20 road victories tied a franchise
record by the 1948-49 Rochester Royals.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Sacramento Clubhouse
Utah Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 93
Washington 80
Sacramento 92
Utah 86
LA Lakers 100
Chicago 88
Dallas 108
Atlanta 94
Houston 91
Seattle 88
San Antonio 101
Denver 80
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jerry Sloan gives the Kings credit for coming into Utah and beating the Jazz.
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