ORLANDO, Fla., March 14 -- Karl Malone scored 27 points and John Stockton added 18 Tuesday night to help the Utah Jazz defeat Orlando 107-95 and hand the Magic just their second home loss in 34 games this season. Utah used a 15-3 run to close the game en route to their ninth straight victory. The Jazz improved to 22-1 against the Eastern Conference, including a perfect 11-0 mark on the road. Utah raised its road record to 22-9, breaking the franchise mark for road wins in a season. The Jazz (47-16) moved within one game of the Magic (48-15) for the league's best record. Stockton had 11 points in the first half to help Utah build a 50-41 lead. Orlando shot 67 percent (10-of-15) and outscored Utah 33-24 in the third quarter behind 13 points from Shaquille O'Neal to draw even at 74- 74 entering the final period. The score was tied 92-92 with 3:30 remaining when Utah went to work. An illegal defense on Orlando resulted in Jeff Hornacek's free throw that gave Utah a 93-92 lead with 3:16 to play. Stockton followed with a layup for a 95-92 advantage. Antoine Carr hit consecutive jumpers to give Utah a 99-92 lead with 1:39 left. Anfernee Hardaway made a three-pointer for Orlando's only points in the closing minutes, but Stockton followed with a jumper to push the lead to 101-95 with 1:09 remaining. Malone made four of Utah's six free throws down the stretch.
'We started off slow and I was afraid that if we did, like we have been the last couple of nights, that it would catch up with us,' Hardaway said. 'It caught up with us. I can take this loss because we just got outplayed.' Stockton had 18 points, 18 assists and eight rebounds and Hornacek finished with 17 points as Utah snapped a two-game losing streak against Orlando. The teams meet again March 31 in Utah. 'It's a victory not many people have gotten this year,' Stockton said. 'We're very fortunate that we caught them at a good time. Looking back at the game, there wasn't any one thing that stands out in my mind. ' O'Neal scored 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Hardaway scored 24 points as the Magic had their four-game winning streak snapped. Utah's bench outscored Orlando's, 33-12. Carr had 14 points and Adam Keefe collected 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Jazz. 'John (Stockton) had a big game,' Utah Coach Jerry Sloan said. 'I thought Adam Keefe had a big game with his offensive rebounding (four). 'John (Stockton) ... he's a great player, he gives it every ounce of energy that he has. Sometimes he doesn't have it, but he plays hard every night and that's all you ask guys to do.'
