Peanut butter and jelly

If Stockton and Malone are going out, they'll do it fighting

Five or six years ago, I was assigned to write a profile on Jazz coach Jerry Sloan for Sports Illustrated. While waiting for him in the swanky hotel lobby in Boston, where the Jazz were playing the next day, I happened to catch Karl Malone getting off an elevator and walking out the front door.

A minute later, John Stockton got off an elevator and strolled past. Sure enough, he met Malone out front. It was early evening, about 6 p.m. or so, and I assumed they were going off to get dinner somewhere.

I remember thinking, Geez, after all these years, they still eat together, too?

I thought of this story Monday night while watching Game 4 of the Kings-Jazz series.

58.3 Peja Stojakovic's 3-point shooting percentage in the playoffs. Sacramento's sharpshooter has hit 14 of his 24 attempts. "It was a good game, both teams played hard." -- Portland's Rasheed Wallace's response to every question from the press after Portland's Game 4 win. The Blazers' media-shy forward was fined $10,000 for his lack of cooperation and another $20,000 for blowing off the media the next morning. Will the Sixers be the only favored seed to advance in the East?

Sacramento won a typical Utah taffy-pull (thanks to 22 turnovers by the home team) to go up 3-1, and it now appears probable the Jazz will be done soon.

So too might the Stockton-to-Malone Era.

Both Stockton and Malone are free agents after the season. Stockton, 41, is likely to retire. Malone, 39, wants to play at least another season, but it is unclear whether he will re-sign with the Jazz for less money or go elsewhere to try to win an NBA championship ring.

If so, the NBA has lost one of its all-time great duos. For 18 years, Stockton and Malone have gone together like peanut butter and jelly. From running the pick-and-roll to hitting restaurants in NBA cities, they have always been a perfect fit.

Stockton is the NBA’s all-time assists and steals leader. Malone is the second-leading scorer all-time and probably the greatest power forward ever. But neither would have done it without the other.

Not only are Stockton and Malone synonymous with the Jazz. They’re synonymous with the pick-and-roll, perhaps the NBA’s signature play. They might never have won an NBA title (thanks to Michael Jordan), but they will be remembered for having the courage to keep trying long after everybody said they were through.

Teamwork. Dedication. Competitiveness. Resiliency. Determination.

Stockton and Malone embodied them all throughout their Hall of Fame careers. Even now, with the end possibly drawing near, they continue to play with pride. In Monday night’s Game 4, they were competing until the end against a younger, deeper, more athletic foe.

It's a safe bet they won’t go down easily in Wednesday’s Game 5 at Arco Arena, either.

Stockton and Malone might soon be finished as a tandem, but their legacy as two of the game’s greatest competitors will remain.

Can’t you just picture them sitting down to dinner together that night in Boston, two friends and teammates out on the town? Who knows what they talked about? But one thing’s for certain: Stockton had no problem passing the salt.

	(Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images) Stud: Baron Davis, G, Hornets Yes, his team lost. Who cares? Davis was clearly the best player on the floor Monday in New Orleans, knocking down 5-of-6 3-pointers in an inspiring 34-point effort that unfortunately went unmatched by his teammates.		(AP) Dud: Jamaal Magloire, C, Hornets The big man made just 1-of-7 from the field and had three turnovers, but his biggest sin was his tepid effort on the glass. That was a big reason the Sixers grabbed 17 offensive rebounds in New Orleans' Game 4 loss.

No offense to T’wolves point guard Troy Hudson, but one gets the feeling he’s due for a poor shooting night. Minnesota can only hope it doesn’t come Tuesday night in Game 5, because the T’wolves can’t afford to let this one get away at the Target Center. Jason Kidd might downplay it, but a first-round elimination surely wouldn’t help the Nets’ cause in trying to convince him to re-sign after the season. That’s another reason why Tuesday’s Game 5 against the Bucks is so big for New Jersey. The Spurs need to take care of the ball against the Suns in Game 5 on Tuesday. In Game 4, San Antonio committed 25 turnovers, leading to 33 points for the Suns. Of the 10 Spurs who played, only Danny Ferry didn’t have at least two turnovers.

Marty Burns covers pro basketball for SI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.

 

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