Stockton Inches Closer To Steal Mark

NBA

Karl Malone scored 30 points and John Stockton had 21 points and two steals, inching within two of breaking the NBA career steals mark, as the Utah Jazz rallied to defeat Dallas 106-103 Thursday night in Salt Lake City.

Jason Kidd scored 34 points and Jimmy Jackson and George McCloud 20 each, but the Mavericks, who led 86-77 with 7:51 left, dropped its fourth straight road game and fell to 6-19 on the road.

Stockton’s 2,309th steal was followed a basket and occurred in the final quarter.

Jazz 106, Mavericks 103

Dallas (103) - McCloud 7-19 2-2 20, Jones 3-7 0-0 6, Meyer 0-2 0-0 0, Jackson 8-16 1-2 20, Kidd 10-21 9-9 34, Brooks 4-7 0-0 9, Parks 1-4 0-2 2, Wood 2-3 1-2 6, Harris 1-4 4-5 6. Totals 36-83 17-22 103.

Utah (106) - Benoit 1-3 2-2 5, Malone 13-21 4-5 30, Spencer 3-6 0-0 6, Hornacek 3-7 1-1 7, Stockton 9-17 2-3 21, Eisley 1-4 0-0 2, Foster 1-3 2-2 4, Carr 5-9 4-4 14, Morris 2-6 2-2 6, Keefe 1-5 4-5 6, Russell 2-2 1-2 5. Totals 41-83 22-26 106.

Dallas 33 25 18 27 - 103

Utah 27 19 23 27 - 106

3-Point goals-Dallas 14-31 (Kidd 5-12, McCloud 4-9, Jackson 3-5, Brooks 1-1, Wood 1-2, Harris 0-2), Utah 2-12 (Benoit 1-3, Stockton 1-5, Eisley 0-1, Hornacek 0-1, Morris 0-2). Fouled out- None. Rebounds-Dallas 47 (Jones, Jackson 8), Utah 51 (Malone 13). Assists-Dallas 21 (McCloud, Parks 4), Utah 26 (Stockton 10). Total fouls-Dallas 21, Utah 25. Technicals-Dallas Illegal defense 2, Hornacek 2, Jones. Ejection-Hornacek. A-19,911 (19,911).

Bulls 108, Pistons 102 (OT)

Auburn Hills, Mich.

Michael Jordan scored eight of his 32 points in overtime, lifting Chicago past Detroit.

It was just the second overtime game for Chicago this season. The other one was in Dallas, also won by the Bulls, 108-102 on Nov. 21.

The Bulls (44-5) trailed by five points with 37 seconds left in regulation.

Chicago (112) - Pippen 7-23 3-7 20, Rodman 4-8 1-4 9, Wennington 3-4 1-1 7, Jordan 10-30 12-12 32, Harper 1-5 0-0 2, Kukoc 6-14 4-4 19, Buechler 0-0 0-0 0, Kerr 5-7 4-5 17, Edwards 2-6 0-0 4, Caffey 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 39-98 25-33 112.

Detroit (109) - Hill 9-18 2-4 20, Thorpe 6-10 6-6 18, Reid 5-7 0-0 10, Dumars 5-9 7-8 18, Houston 7-21 10-13 27, Curry 0-1 3-6 3, Ratliff 4-8 3-6 11, Mills 1-3 0-2 2, Roe 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-77 31-45 109.

Chicago 33 22 24 22 11 - 112

Detroit 28 18 24 31 8 - 109

3-Point goals-Chicago 9-20 (Kerr 3-4, Kukoc 3-7, Pippen 3-8, Jordan 0-1), Detroit 4-13 (Houston 3-9, Dumars 1-2, Hill 0-1, Mills 0-1). Fouled out-Rodman. Rebounds-Chicago 61 (Romdan 19), Detroit 60 (Hill, Thorpe 10). Assists-Chicago 19 (Pippen 6), Detroit 17 (Hill 9). Total fouls-Chicago 27, Detroit 25. Technical-Detroit coach Collins. A-21,454 (21,454).

Cavaliers 95, Raptors 76

Hamilton, Ontario

Terrell Brandon scored 20 points and Cleveland held Toronto to 14 first-quarter points on the way to the Cavs’ sixth straight win.

The Cavaliers led by as many as 25 points in the first half en route to a 53-30 lead at halftime. Cleveland (95) - Mills 8-16 0-0 16, Ferry 6-10 2-2 15, Cage 3-4 0-0 6, Phills 7-12 3-4 19, Brandon 7-13 4-4 20, Hill 2-4 1-3 5, Crotty 2-2 1-2 5, Majerle 2-4 0-0 5, Sura 1-2 2-2 4, Lang 0-0 0-0 0, Marshall 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 38-67 13-17 95.

Toronto (76) - Anderson 7-9 2-2 17, Massenburg 3-6 0-4 6, Miller 5-13 0-0 10, Robertson 3-5 3-4 11, Stoudamire 2-14 3-3 8, Rogers 1-1 0-0 2, Murray 1-8 0-0 2, Tabak 2-6 4-5 8, King 5-10 0-1 10, Pinckney 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 29-72 14-21 76.

Cleveland 27 26 21 21 - 95

Toronto 14 16 24 22 - 76

3-Point goals-Cleveland 6-14 (Phills 2-4, Brandon 2-4, Ferry 1-2, Majerle 1-3, Mills 0-1), Toronto 4-13 (Robertson 2-3, Anderson 1-2, Stoudamire 1-5, Murray 0-3). Fouled out- Tabak. Rebounds-Cleveland 40 (Mills, Phills 8), Toronto 43 (Miller 8). Assists-Cleveland 19 (Mills, Brandon 7), Toronto 19 (Stoudamire 7). Total fouls-Cleveland 18, Toronto 20. A-17,242.

Heat 97, Nuggets 91

Miami

Bimbo Coles scored six of his 24 points in the final 17 seconds, lifting Miami past Denver.

Coles’ layup gave the Heat a 94-91 lead with 17 seconds left, and he added another layup and free throw in the final seconds after Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf missed a 3-pointer for the Nuggets, who lost center Dikembe Mutombo to an injured left ankle in the third quarter.

Mutombo, who finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, turned the ankle while attempting to block a shot by Rex Chapman.

Denver (91) - Stith 3-10 4-4 11, McDyess 12-19 2-2 26, Mutombo 5-9 2-2 12, D.Ellis 4-15 1-2 11, Abdul-Rauf 2-14 3-3 7, Rose 1-4 0-0 2, Williams 4-4 1-1 9, MacLean 2-3 1-4 5, Hammonds 4-6 0-0 8. Totals 37-84 14-18 91.

Miami (97) - Owens 6-13 5-7 17, Willis 6-8 1-1 13, Mourning 4-18 4-6 12, Chapman 6-14 0-0 13, Coles 9-19 3-6 24, Thomas 4-7 0-0 8, Malone 4-7 2-2 10, Rencher 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 39-86 15-22 97.

Denver 19 26 28 18 - 91

Miami 15 28 29 25 - 97

3-Point goals-Denver 3-11 (Ellis 2-6, Stith 1-2, Abdul-Rauf 0-3), Miami 4-13 (Coles 3-7, Chapman 1-5, Mourning 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Denver 45 (McDyess 11), Miami 60 (Mourning 15). Assists-Denver 21 (Rose 7), Miami 26 (Owens 8). Total fouls-Denver 25, Miami 18. Technicals- Denver coach Bickerstaff, Willis. A-14,290 (15,200).

Bucks 109, Bullets 98

Milwaukee

Vin Baker scored 25 points and Glenn Robinson had 11 of his 23 in the third quarter, lifting Milwaukee past Washington.

The Bullets finished their four-game road trip without a win and suffered a season-high fifth straight loss.

Washington (98) - Howard 10-22 7-10 27, Wallace 2-7 0-0 4, Muresan 12-17 5-6 29, Cheaney 6-11 1-2 13, B.Price 4-8 1-1 10, McCann 1-3 1-2 3, McIlvaine 0-3 0-0 0, Grant 2-4 0-0 5, Legler 2-5 2-2 7, Eackles 0-2 0-0 0, Butler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 39-82 17-23 98.

Milwaukee (109) - Baker 10-16 5-7 25, Robinson 8-15 7-11 23, Benjamin 5-10 2-2 12, Douglas 7-14 4-5 18, Newman 4-8 2-2 11, Cummings 2-5 1-2 5, Respert 1-2 1-1 4, Mayberry 3-6 1-2 9, Conlon 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 41-78 23-32 109.

Washington 25 29 20 24 - 98

Milwaukee 28 27 27 27 - 109

3-Point goals-Washington 3-9 (B.Price 1-1, Legler 1-1, Grant 1-3, Howard 0-1, Wallace 0-1, Eackles 0-2). Milwaukee 4-10 (Mayberry 2-5, Respert 1-1, Newman 1-2, Douglas 0-1, Robinson 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Washington 45 (Muresan 13), Milwaukee 50 (Robinson 9). Assists- Washington 21 (Legler, B.Price 5), Milwaukee 24 (Douglas 9). Total fouls-Washington 25, Milwaukee 25. Technicals- McCann, Eackles, Coach Lynam, Robinson 2. A-16,211 (18,633).

Rockets 112, Spurs 108

At Houston

Hakeem Olajuwon led six Houston players in double figures and Robert Horry hit a clutch shot with 42 seconds left in the Rockets’ win.

The Rockets beat the Spurs for the first time in three games this season.

San Antonio (108) - Elliott 1-9 2-2 5, Person 7-11 0-0 21, Robinson 9-15 6-9 24, Del Negro 13-20 4-8 31, Johnson 8-17 1-2 17, C.Smith 2-9 4-4 8, Perdue 1-1 0-0 2, Alexander 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 41-83 17-25 108.

Houston (112) - Horry 1-7 2-3 4, Brown 7-10 1-1 15, Olajuwon 11-20 2-4 24, Drexler 7-18 8-9 24, Recasner 6-11 4-4 21, Cassell 3-11 2-2 10, Bryant 5-6 1-2 11, Chilcutt 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 41-84 20-25 112.

San Antonio 22 26 35 25 - 108

Houston 32 31 26 23 - 112

3-Point goals-San Antonio 9-16 (Person 7-11, Del Negro 1-1, Elliott 1-3, Johnson 0-1), Houston 10-24 (Recasner 5-8, Cassell 2-5, Drexler 2-5, Chilcutt 1-1, Horry 0-5). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-San Antonio 44 (Robinson 13), Houston 54 (Bryant 8). Assists-San Antonio 22 (Johnson 8), Houston 31 (Olajuwon 9). Total fouls-San Antonio 25, Houston 22. Technicals- Johnson, San Antonio Illegal defense, Houston Illegal defense. A-16,285 (16,285).

Suns 96, Trail Blazers 84

Portland, Ore.

Charles Barkley scored 24 points and Phoenix held Portland to 37 second-half points to claim a win.

The Suns are 9-4 since Barkley returned, pulling them into a virtual seventh-place tie with the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference.

Phoenix (96) - Manning 3-15 4-5 10, Barkley 8-14 8-11 24, Green 3-8 0-0 6, Finley 6-8 1-2 13, Perry 4-6 5-7 13, Person 6-14 2-3 14, Kleine 0-1 0-0 0, Smith 0-2 0-0 0, Tisdale 6-10 4-7 16. Totals 36-78 24-35 96.

Portland (84) - Grant 3-4 1-2 7, C.Robinson 9-22 5-8 24, Dudley 2-4 3-4 7, McKie 4-8 0-0 8, Strickland 5-17 3-6 13, Trent 3-5 1-2 7, J.Robinson 4-10 3-6 13, Sabonis 1-5 1-1 3, Williams 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 32-78 17-29 84.

Phoenix 24 24 25 23 - 96

Portland 28 19 18 19 - 84

3-Point goals-Phoenix 0-2 (Manning 0-1, Barkley 0-1), Portland 3-17 (J.Robinson 2-7, C.Robinson 1-8, Strickland 0-1, Sabonis 0-1). Fouled out-Strickland. Rebounds-Phoenix 48 (Barkley 10), Portland 63 (C.Robinson 11). Assists-Phoenix 22 (Perry 6), Portland 16 (Strickland 7). Total fouls-Phoenix 22, Portland 23. Technicals-Strickland, Phoenix illegal defense. A-21,118 (21,401).

Injury updates

Knicks forward Charles Oakley broke his right thumb in Wednesday loss at Charlotte, an injury that will sideline him for approximately six weeks.

Oakley underwent surgery Thursday at Beth Israel Hospital in New York and the team termed it successful.

New Jersey Nets shooting guard Kendall Gill is scheduled to have surgery Friday to repair an unstable fracture in his left hand and he will be sidelined at least a month.