Jazz Keep 76ers Playing Losing Tune

Karl Malone had 20 points and 17 rebounds as the Utah Jazz beat the Philadelphia 76ers 89-81 Saturday night, handing coach Jerry Sloan his 800th career victory. The Jazz won their fourth in a row and, for the first time this season, climbed above the .500 mark at 16-15.

Sloan got his milestone victory three nights after 76ers coach Larry Brown notched his 800th career win. However, Sloan has lost only 463 times compared to 630 losses for Brown. The two coaches are tied for ninth place in career wins.

In his 13th season with the Jazz, Sloan is the longest tenured coach in professional sports.

John Crotty scored 17 points while John Stockton and Andrei Kirilenko scored 10 points each for Utah, which built a 44-34 halftime lead and never trailed in the second half.

The Sixers got no closer than 67-64 on Eric Snow's driving basket with 10:16 to play.

Allen Iverson, who leads the NBA with a 28.9 scoring average, had 14 of his 21 points in the second half but he had a horrible night, shooting 7-of-25, never able to establish a groove.

It was a wild night at the Delta Center, with Derrick Coleman ejected after punching Malone's arm as he and two others players were thrown out. Officials also called nine technical fouls.

Coleman, Donyell Marshall and Corie Blount were ejected during a 56-second span of the third quarter. Coleman was thrown out for throwing a punch at Malone while Marshall and Blount argued officials' calls.

Philadelphia threatened in the fourth quarter but the Jazz, finally hitting stride after their worst start in 19 seasons, had an answer each time.

Crotty had seven points in the fourth quarter, including a huge 3-pointer with 1:37 on the clock to give Utah an 84-72 lead.

After Snow pulled the 76ers within three points, Stockton found Scott Padgett for an easy basket underneath and Malone hit a jumper and a pair of free throws to extend the lead safely back to 73-64.

The 76ers fell to 1-14 when trailing going into the fourth quarter. They are 11-3 when leading after three periods.

Notes:
Malone (1,304 games) passed Elvin Hayes for sixth place on the NBA's career games played list. He is three games from tying Buck Williams (1,307) for fifth place. ... Greg Ostertag sprained his right ankle while collecting a rebound late in the first half and was carried off. He returned to start the third quarter. ... Utah won 11 in a row at home against Philadelphia until the Sixers won last year.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 - ABC, Action News