Box Score

 

UTAH (99)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
M Harpring          34  7-14   8-8   1-4   2   2   24
K Malone            41 11-24 12-13   0-8   4   4   34
G Ostertag          40   6-8   1-2  4-14   1   4   13
J Stockton          31   0-3   5-6   1-3   8   5    5
C Cheaney           34   4-8   1-2   0-2   6   2    9
M Jackson           17   1-2   2-2   0-3   2   1    5
A Kirilenko         25   4-5   0-0   1-4   3   2    9
S Padgett            7   0-1   0-0   1-1   2   0    0
T Massenburg         7   0-2   0-0   1-2   0   0    0
D Stevenson          4   0-2   0-0   0-0   1   0    0
J Amaechi          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
C Arroyo           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 33-69 29-33  9-41  29  20   99
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.478, FT-.879. 3-Point Goals:
4-6, .667 (M Harpring 2-3, M Jackson 1-1, A 
Kirilenko 1-2). Team Rebounds: 8. Blocked 
Shots:8 (G Ostertag 4, A Kirilenko 4). 
Turnovers:19 (K Malone 6, M Jackson 4, A 
Kirilenko 3, C Cheaney 2, M Harpring 2, G 
Ostertag, J Stockton). Steals: 9 (K Malone 4,
J Stockton 2, C Cheaney, M Harpring, A 
Kirilenko).


PHOENIX (86)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
S Marion            42  9-17   2-3   1-4   2   5   22
A Stoudemire        40   6-9   5-9  5-12   3   2   17
J Tsakalidis        11   0-0   2-2   1-5   0   4    2
S Marbury           43  5-22   1-2   0-1   9   2   11
P Hardaway          30  3-12   2-3   2-5   3   3    8
S Williams           2   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   2    0
J Johnson           24  7-11   0-0   0-2   2   3   16
J Voskuhl           17   1-5   0-0   1-4   1   2    2
B Outlaw            22   2-3   1-2   2-3   1   1    5
D Langhi             9   1-3   0-0   0-2   1   1    3
T Gugliotta        DNP  - BACK SPRAIN                                    
C Jacobsen         DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 34-82 13-21 12-38  22  25   86
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.415, FT-.619. 3-Point Goals:
5-16, .313 (S Marion 2-5, S Marbury 0-6, P 
Hardaway 0-1, J Johnson 2-2, D Langhi 1-2). 
Team Rebounds: 9. Blocked Shots:6 (A 
Stoudemire 3, S Marion 2, J Tsakalidis). 
Turnovers:12 (J Tsakalidis 4, P Hardaway 2, B
Outlaw 2, S Marbury, D Langhi, J Johnson, A 
Stoudemire). Steals: 10 (S Marbury 4, S 
Marion 3, B Outlaw 2, J Voskuhl).

-------------------------------------------
UTAH                 28  16  27  28   -  99
PHOENIX              21  22  21  22   -  86
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Utah - 1 (K Malone, 7:26 
1st).
Flagrant fouls: Phoenix 1 (S Marbury, 6:41 
3rd). A: 15,196. T: 2:22. Officials: Eddie F.
Rush, Jason Phillips, Monty McCutchen.

Extended Box

 

UTAH (99) AT PHOENIX (86)

UTAH

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
M HARPRING        F    34    7-14     8-8      1   3   4    2   2   1   2   24
K MALONE          F    41   11-24    12-13     0   8   8    4   4   4   6   34
G OSTERTAG        C    40    6-8      1-2      4  10  14    1   4   0   1   13
J STOCKTON        G    31    0-3      5-6      1   2   3    8   5   2   1    5
C CHEANEY         G    34    4-8      1-2      0   2   2    6   2   1   2    9
M JACKSON              17    1-2      2-2      0   3   3    2   1   0   4    5
A KIRILENKO            25    4-5      0-0      1   3   4    3   2   1   3    9
S PADGETT               7    0-1      0-0      1   0   1    2   0   0   0    0
T MASSENBURG            7    0-2      0-0      1   1   2    0   0   0   0    0
D STEVENSON             4    0-2      0-0      0   0   0    1   0   0   0    0
J AMAECHI             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
C ARROYO              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   33-69    29-33     9  32  41   29  20   9  19   99
                            (.478)  (.879)  TEAM REBS:  8 TOTAL TO: 19 (20 PTS)    

PHOENIX

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
S MARION          F    42    9-17     2-3      1   3   4    2   5   3   0   22
A STOUDEMIRE      F    40    6-9      5-9      5   7  12    3   2   0   1   17
J TSAKALIDIS      C    11    0-0      2-2      1   4   5    0   4   0   4    2
S MARBURY         G    43    5-22     1-2      0   1   1    9   2   4   1   11
P HARDAWAY        G    30    3-12     2-3      2   3   5    3   3   0   2    8
S WILLIAMS              2    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   2   0   0    0
J JOHNSON              24    7-11     0-0      0   2   2    2   3   0   1   16
J VOSKUHL              17    1-5      0-0      1   3   4    1   2   1   0    2
B OUTLAW               22    2-3      1-2      2   1   3    1   1   2   2    5
D LANGHI                9    1-3      0-0      0   2   2    1   1   0   1    3
T GUGLIOTTA           DNP  - BACK SPRAIN                                              
C JACOBSEN            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   34-82    13-21    12  26  38   22  25  10  12   86
                            (.415)  (.619)  TEAM REBS:  9 TOTAL TO: 13 (14 PTS)    
  
   UTAH               28   16   27   28   -   99
   PHOENIX            21   22   21   22   -   86
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: UTAH - G OSTERTAG 4, A KIRILENKO 4.  PHOENIX - A STOUDEMIRE 3,
S MARION 2, J TSAKALIDIS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: UTAH 4-6 (.667), M HARPRING 2-3, M JACKSON 1-1,
A KIRILENKO 1-2. PHOENIX 5-16 (.313), S MARION 2-5, S MARBURY 0-6,
P HARDAWAY 0-1, J JOHNSON 2-2, D LANGHI 1-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: UTAH - K MALONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: PHOENIX 1 (S MARBURY, 6:41 3RD,).
OFFICIALS: EDDIE F. RUSH, JASON PHILLIPS, MONTY MCCUTCHEN.
A - 15,196. T - 2:22.

Game Story

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- In one of their most important games of 
the season, the Utah Jazz got the expected performance from Karl
Malone and an unexpected one from Greg Ostertag.

Malone scored 13 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter and
Ostertag collected 13 and a season-high 14 rebounds as the Jazz
posted a 99-86 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

While Malone's performance was not unexpected, one of Ostertag's
best all-around games came at a perfect time for the Jazz, who
moved 3 1/2 games ahead of Houston for seventh place in the
Western Conference.

Malone led the team in scoring for the 15th time in 17 games,
but Ostertag was just as important.  He scored eight points in
the fourth period and made several hustle plays down the stretch
as the Jazz closed the game with a 10-4 spurt over the final
3:18.

"Greg was real active inside," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said.  "He
got his hands on the basketball and was able to deliver the
ball to the basket on some shots."

Throughout Ostertag's career, Sloan has been critical of his
work ethic, which has never seen him average more than 7.3
points.  In the Jazz's 107-95 loss at America West Arena on
January 12, he played him just 11 minutes, and Ostertag was one
of several players that had problems with his substitution
patterns.

"Greg had a humongous game for us," Malone said.  "He was all
over the place and did a helluva job for us.  He made them
change every shot when they came inside, rebounded and blocked
shots.  It was huge."

"Ostertag did a great job on the boards and a nice job cutting
and making himself available," Utah guard John Stockton added.
"Karl is such a force in there and they have to give him extra
attention and Greg read it very well."

Ostertag averages just 4.9 points per game and had only reached
double figures once since the All-Star break.  But the 7-2
center shot 6-of-8 from the floor in a season-high 40 minutes
and recorded his fourth double-double of the season, helping the
Jazz limit Phoenix's inside game.

Of his 14 boards, 10 came on the defensive end, helping the Jazz
to a 32-26 advantage. He and Andrei Kirilenko also added four
blocks apiece, a fact not lost on Suns coach Frank Johnson.

"Every transition we had, it seemed like they blocked it,"
Johnson said.  "Ostertag was big tonight, he changed shots and
blocked shots.  Kirilenko had four (blocks) and Ostertag had
four.  Those blocks came at times when we making runs or we had
a fast break situation and that was very disappointing."

"It was just a difficult night for us," Suns guard Joe Johnson
added. "They killed us on the backboards and they shot a lot of
free throws."

Phoenix lost for the ninth time in 14 games.  Wednesday's loss
allowed idle Dallas to clinch a playoff berth.

Shawn Marion led the Suns with 22 points.  Fellow All-Star
Stephon Marbury, hampered by a hand injury, finished with just
11 points on 5-of-22 shooting.

"They clogged up the middle, but I wasn't making my shots,"
Marbury said.  "It just wasn't my night tonight.  I stunk up the
court today, but it happens."

The Suns had their chances, but the Jazz always had a response.
Phoenix trailed just 44-43 at halftime after facing an
eight-point deficit.

But the Jazz, who shot 36 percent (13-of-36) in the first 24
minutes, began to heat up midway through the third.  They used a
13-4 spurt to extend the lead to 66-57 with 2:31 remaining.

In the spurt, which started with Calbert Cheaney's jumper at the
7:01 mark, Matt Harpring scored six of his 24 points.

Kirilenko's dunk with one second left gave Utah a 71-64
advantage.

In the fourth, Ostertag had three key layups in the first
seven-plus minutes.  He added his final basket with 2:10
remaining and just over a minute after Marion's 3-pointer sliced
the deficit to 89-82.