Jazz Play 76ers Symphony

Game after game for the Utah Jazz, there is only one story: Karl Malone.

Malone led the team in scoring all but one time during Utah's recent 11-0 win streak. Then he left Wednesday's game in Charlotte after having his eyes raked -- and the Jazz lost by 26 points.

Consistent as ever, he returned against Philadelphia Friday night and scored 23 points as the Jazz beat the Philadelphia 76ers 91-79.

"The way Karl Malone has been playing all year, he deserved the MVP award," guard Jeff Hornacek said. "It all starts with him. He helps us win night in and night out."

Malone moved a step closer to the Hall of Fame Friday, taking over the fifth place on the NBA career scoring list with 27,327 points, moving past Elvin Hayes (27,313).

Malone, who has led the Jazz in scoring all but seven games this year, took control in the third quarter with 12 points and seven rebounds as the Jazz opened an 11-point lead. He finished with 16 rebounds.

"It was a pretty ugly game," he said after the Jazz won for the 19th time in 21 games. "But it was good for us to bounce back."

Greg Foster added 10 points and nine rebounds, while Hornacek and Shandon Anderson scored 11 points each.

Allen Iverson, who has averaged 30 points in the Sixers' last six games, led Philadelphia with 28 points. Theo Ratliff added nine points and eight rebounds as the Sixers lost for only the second time in six games.

UTAH Shot poorly to start the game, but quickly took advantage of the absence of injured Derrick Coleman (ankle) and the Sixers' weakened interior defense. Scott Williams started and Benoit Benjamin, a fill-in on a 10-day contract, came off the bench for Philadelphia.

In a physical contest, they weren't enough to stop Utah's big men.

"That's a hard game to not have everybody," said coach Larry Brown. ``I think the bench really gave them a lift in the second quarter. At the beginning of the third quarter, they basically did whatever they wanted."

The Jazz went on a 14-4 run to end the first half as Foster hit three layups and Bryon Russell had a 3-pointer and two free thros. They then started the third quarter with an 18-7 spurt and took a 59-44 lead with seven minutes left.

Utah outshot the Sixers 60 to 40 percent and outrebounded them 13-8 in the third quarter.

"We did a good job passing the ball, and in the third quarter the 76ers trapped and we got some good looks," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "We have Karl Malone, so we had a great inside game tonight."

Tim Thomas left the game with a hip contusion suffered when he leaped to stop Adam Keefe's fast break. Brown went with a three-guard lineup for the rest of the game.

Later he lamented that his young team can't play like the more experienced Jazz.

"They set screens. They get guys open shots. They hit the open man," he said. "That's why they win. I think sometimes we don't get good looks. Sometimes we hold onto it too long and try to make the great play instead of the simple play."

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