Malone Passes Wilt On NBA Scoring List

Karl Malone's first eight points carried him past Wilt Chamberlain. The Mailman's next 23 carried the Utah Jazz past the Toronto Raptors.

Malone moved past Chamberlain for second place on the NBA's career scoring list Tuesday night, hitting a scoop in the lane with 4:58 left in the second quarter of Utah's 98-84 victory over Toronto.

"Wilt Chamberlain was a pioneer in this league, a guy I have great respect for," Malone told a swarm of reporters on the Delta Center floor. "I didn't sleep at all today. I had the worst nap ever."

Malone finished with 31 points, giving him 31,443 in his 16-year career. Chamberlain scored 31,419 in 14 seasons. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the league's career leader with 38,387.

"To be able to play every game with guys who believed in me, that's what really means a lot," Malone said. "That, and the people here in Utah have accepted me, the good with the bad."

Malone, the most prolific power forward in NBA history and a 16-year fixture for the Utah Jazz, went into the Toronto game needing eight points to pass Chamberlain.

It was his night. He added 12 rebounds and three blocked shots, and the only lowlight was when he was ejected with less than one minute to play after getting his second technical for arguing with referee Marc Davis.

Even then, Malone received a standing ovation when he left the floor.

"My biggest fear was that I would get the record but we wouldn't win the game," Malone said.

It took a while for Malone to get going. He missed his first shot and dropped a pass from John Stockton out of bounds, his only touches in the first five minutes.

He finally made a 22-foot jumper midway through the first period, then hit from 18 feet on the left wing. With 1:54 on the clock, he got a fast-break layup on a feed from Bryon Russell.

After sitting most of the second quarter, Malone came in to cheers. Flashbulbs twinkled in the crowd when he threw in a jumper for the apparent historic points but Toronto was called for an illegal defense, negating the basket.

The points to surpass Chamberlain came, naturally, on a feed from Stockton, Malone's longtime teammate and the point guard who made so many of his baskets possible.

"I wouldn't have had it any other way," Malone said.

Malone stepped into the lane, swept past defender Corliss Williamson and flipped the ball in, touching off a chorus of cheers that continued until a dead ball about one minute later.

"I think everyone was really touched when it happened," Stockton said. "I told him, 'Good job. Let's play."'

The fans continued to cheer Malone as he went to the bench during a break in play. He was swarmed by teammates, who hugged him and gave him high-fives.

"(Greg) Ostertag grabbed me around the neck," Malone said. "I was trying to get a breath and then O.P. (Olden Polynice) grabbed me around the neck."

"I thought it was my last game," Malone added. "All my teammates wanted something before the game, and I gave them something. I can't say right now. Every single teammate was pulling for me. That was the highlight."

Chamberlain, who died in October 1999 at age 63, scored 31,419 points during 14 seasons in the NBA. He averaged 30.1 points a game and still holds the league's single-game scoring record of 100 points.

"Karl has a tremendous amount of respect for Wilt Chamberlain. Just to be associated with Wilt is a great honor," Stockton said.

At his current average of about 23 points a game, the 37-year-old Malone would need to play about four more seasons to catch Abdul-Jabbar. Malone passed Michael Jordan for third place on the list in November 1999.

Asked whether he would try for Abdul-Jabbar's mark, Malone said he wouldn't do it unless he continues to play well. He doesn't want to limp into retirement playing 15 minutes a night.

"I won't stay around just for the record and I won't come back from a serious injury," Malone said. "I think about things I want to do for myself, with my family and my kids. I see other athletes who stay too long. I don't want to."

Malone credited his durability for helping his career. He has missed only seven games, four to league suspensions and three to injuries.

Passing Chamberlain was bittersweet for Malone. Last week, he spoke of Chamberlain's huge impact on basketball and how it's too bad some records can't stay in place forever.

Malone missed a chance to reach the milestone last weekend. He needed 22 points going into Saturday's game in Charlotte but scored only 14.

That allowed Malone to pass Chamberlain in front of his homecourt fans. The Delta Center was filled nearly to capacity, with some 18,000 fans roaring after Malone's historic basket went down.

"He accomplished something that probably no one else ever willl," Russell said. "That's good for him and it's good for the game."

Russell scored 17 points, including six during a late 14-3 run after the Raptors pulled within 78-77 with 6:27 to play. Stockton added 12 points and drected Utah's late surge while Olden Polynice scored 10.

Kevin Willis led the Raptors with 20 points while Morris Peterson added 15, Alvin Williams had 14, Antonio Davis 13 and Dell Curry 12.

Toronto was missing two top players. Vince Carter wore a suit as he nurses a strained quadriceps and Charles Oakley was serving the second night of a three-game league suspension.

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