By MATT WRIGH
With 19,911 fans screaming bloody murder after each play, it felt like the playoffs had arrived early Monday night in the Delta Center. Utah and San Antonio battled down to the end before the Spurs escaped a last-second Jazz shot to take home a 92-91 victory. The win extended the Spurs Midwest Conference lead over the Jazz to four games.
Sean Elliot was the key man in the Spur attack, with the majority of the Jazz attention being focused on the Admiral, David Robinson. Elliot took advantage of open shots going 3 for 5 from 3-point range.
“We match up well at every position except the big guy down low,” Elliot said. “They were double teaming David so we went to the outside.”
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan decried his team’s lack of intesity in the loss. He said the Jazz need to learn how to play a full 48 minutes of intense basketball, instead of trying to turn it on in the fourth quarter. For the past few games Sloan said the Jazz have been complacent, and maybe it will take losing games to get his players fired up again.
The Jazz were led by Karl Malone with 21 points, and just three other Jazzmen scored in double figures with Antoine Carr and Jeff Hornacek with 11.
The Spurs were spurred by Elliot’s 21 points, Avery Johnson with 17 on 7 for 9 shooting and Chuck Person and Robinson with 14 a piece.
Next up for the Jazz is a home game against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. tip off in the Delta Center
