Jazz Corral Nellie, Mavericks

Don Nelson was so upset with Karl Malone and the officials that the Dallas Mavericks coach physically confronted the massive Utah Jazz star.

Nelson bumped Malone in the third quarter after the Dallas coach was ejected for arguing about a foul call on a play involving Malone in Utah's 105-92 victory Thursday night.

"I was taught when I was little to respect my elders, but you're totally out of line when you get in a player's face," said Malone, who had 24 points and 11 rebounds. "He crossed the line and I have no respect for that."

"That's the first time a coach has bumped me in 15 years," Malone added. "I realize he's an older fellow, but he's probably overmatched."

Nelson and Dallas center Shawn Bradley were ejected in the second half, and Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was tossed out with 3:37 to play. There were eight technical fouls in the game.

Nelson was ejected with 6:04 left in the third quarter when he was hit with a double technical for arguing a call by referee Scott Wall.

Bradley was whistled for a foul against Malone, whose knee struck Bradley's midsection as Bradley tried to draw a charge. Bradley was on the floor for several minutes before he was helped to the locker room.

Nelson continued to argue the call after Bradley left the court, and Wall ejected Nelson. The Mavericks coach then confronted Malone, bumping Malone before the two were separated and Nelson was escorted out of the arena.

Nelson's son and top assistant coach, Donnie, took over the team, and Donnie Nelson was slapped with a technical with 4:53 left in the third quarter for!gking into the court to protest a o-call.

Bradley returned to start the fourth quarter, but picked up his second technical of the night for an automatic ejection.

Neither Don Nelson nor Bradley were available for comment.

"I thought I was going to have to jump on his back and slow him down. That's what he is, he's a competitor and he's feisty," Donnie Nelson said of his father.

Asked how his father would have fared against Malone, Donnie Nelson said, "He's got a real good sucker punch."

Sloan got into the act, picking up two technicals with less than four minutes left to earn his ejection.

"It was a little crazy out there," Sloan said. "We were glad to come away with the win."

"Emotion runs high every once in a while," Jazz guard Jeff Hornacek said.

Bryon Russell added 20 points for the Jazz, and John Stockton had 12 points and 10 assists. Utah has won five straight and 11 in a row against Dallas.

Dallas lost its fifth in a row with future owner Mark Cuban looking on from his baseline seat. Cuban, an Internet billionaire, agreed this week to buy majority interest in the Mavericks from Ross Perot Jr. for $280 million.

Michael Finley had 30 points for the Mavericks, who've lost nine of 10 and six in a row at home. Dirk Nowitzki added 24 points, and Cedric Ceballos had 21 points and 14 rebounds.

Utah put the game away with a 16-4 spurt, capped by Greg Ostertag's basket with 5:28 left that made it 89-75. Malone's 15 third-quarter points allowed the Jazz to maintain the lead.

Notes