SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Donyell Marshall scored 25 points and Karl Malone added 24 as the Utah Jazz coasted Friday night to a 93-85 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Jazz (11-12) have won five of their last six to close within one game of .500. They also moved over the break-even point at home with an 8-7 record.
Malone scored just 14 points and committed eight turnovers in Utah's 101-83 loss at Portland on November 6.
Friday's contest was not as close as the final indicated as Portland sliced into a 21-point deficit after the outcome was decided. Utah opened an 82-61 lead on Greg Ostertag's layup with 7:19 left.
Things started badly for Portland when second-leading scorer Bonzi Wells did not dress due to inflammation in his left knee and only got worse. The Blazers led early, but Portland opened a 26-13 lead after the first quarter and never trailed thereafter.
Rasheed Wallace scored 18 points for Portland, which did not get its first second-chancd points until Zach Randolph followed in his own miss with 4:43 remaining in the fourth quarter.
As an indication of how things went for the Blazers, Randolph accidently elbowed teammate Rick Brunson while fighting for the offensive rebound. Brunson fell to the floor and had to be taken to the locker room for stitches under his right eye.
