Karl Malone felt right at home being back in Utah, although technically he was a visitor.
Dressing in the visitor's locker room and wearing the purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers didn't change much for Malone, back in the city he adopted as his home for so long.
PHOTO: REUTERS
"Been home for 18 years," he said.
PHOTO: EPA
Malone, out since December with a torn knee ligament, participated in the Lakers' shootaround Monday morning, hours before his Los Angeles teammates were to play the only other team Malone has played for in his 19 NBA seasons.
Still on the injured list with a bad knee, Malone did not play in the game, which Utah won 88-83. He waited until the starting lineups were introduced before coming out of the tunnel and received a mix greeting. Scattered boos were outnumbered by cheers and about half the crowd stood up for The Mailman, who was in the Delta Center for the first time as an opponent.
A few fans had signs, including one that likened Malone to Judas and Benedict Arnold, while others thanked him.
Malone didn't speak after the game, but did say beforehand that he was happy to be back, despite a recent public feud with the Jazz.
"I love my new life. That's what I'm saying. That's why I don't know what all the fuss is about," he said after the shootaround. "I'm happy. The Jazz are happy. They're winning. I keep up with them. Why can't both sides be happy and get along?"
This is the same Malone who at the end of January said he would never forgive the Jazz and accused the team of lacking class because of a skit that poked fun at Malone and Laker teammate Kobe Bryant.
Malone didn't make that trip, choosing to avoid the hoopla surrounding his return to Salt Lake City. But he heard about the skit and was livid.
Utah's front office apologized to Malone and the Lakers, but last weekend Jazz owner Larry Miller sounded off about Malone's initial reaction with several harsh comments.
Malone, who has a long history of differences with Miller, had a much more mellow outlook on Monday.
"What do you guys want me to say? That's old news, man. I'm somewhere else. My life is good. Their life is good," he said. "You guys keep beating things to death and it's for no reason. I've got too many positive memories for 18 years."
Miller had toned down after the game, too.
"I would say we're on neutral ground or better. I can't complain," he said after the game.
Malone joined the Lakers last summer as a free agent, saying it was best both he and the Jazz move on. Malone wanted to win a championship, which he came just short of doing with the Jazz in 1997 and '98, and the Jazz were trying to rebuild with players younger than Malone and John Stockton, who was with the team 19 years before retiring last summer.
Malone expected mixed feelings from Jazz fans.
"I'm with the Lakers. That's where I play," Malone said. "You can't control what people do or say. I said I was going to be here and I'm here. I stay true to my word."
Malone had hoped to return before or during Monday's game and even hinted that "anything's possible," but later said he was still not quite up for returning.
And with Kobe Bryant out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson did not want to take any chances with Malone aggravating the knee by rushing back just to play in Utah.
Having Malone and Bryant healthy for the playoffs next month is much more important to the Lakers.
"It's very close. Karl's ready to play 5 minutes or 6 minutes or so," Jackson said. "He hasn't been able to play in a full-court situation yet, so that's just not right for him to have to come back at this time and try to do it in an NBA game when he hasn't even done it in a practice situation."
This is the first time in his career Malone has been on the injured list. He said it was ironic that after nearly two decades of banging inside and becoming the NBA's second all-time leading scorer, he hurt the knee Dec. 22 against Phoenix while shooting an outside jump shot.
And being patient while rehabilitating the knee has also been a new experience for Malone, who had missed only 11 career games before the injury.
"I can't afford a setback right now. So if I miss another week or four or five days, so be it. But if it's another day or night, I look forward to that, too," Malone said. "It's not weeks anymore. It's hours, days. It's right there."
Jazz 88, Lakers 83
In Salt Lake City, Gordan Giricek scored 21 points to lead the Jazz past Los Angeles, welcoming back Karl Malone by beating his new team in The Mailman's first trip to Utah as a visitor.
The short-handed Lakers, who had won five straight over Utah, never recovered after Shaquille O'Neal was thrown out with two quick technical fouls in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles led 72-68 at the time, but the Jazz scored 20 points in the final 3:57 to end a two-game losing streak.
Andrei Kirilenko had 15 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks as the Jazz spoiled Malone's homecoming.
Malone, who is on the injured list with a bad knee, made the trip but was not activated for the game. He sat in street clothes at the end of the bench, enduring a few taunts and nasty signs written for his decision to leave as a free agent and try to win a championship with the Lakers.
Fans had signs that compared Malone to Judas and Benedict Arnold, while others thanked him for his 18 seasons with the Jazz.
Gary Payton led the Lakers with 21 points.
76ers 97, Bucks 92
Seldom-used Greg Buckner scored a season-high 20 points and reserve Zendon Hamilton added a season-high 19, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 97-92 comeback victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Kenny Thomas had 14 points and 15 rebounds and Eric Snow had 17 points and 12 assists Monday for Philadelphia, which has won consecutive games for the first time in two months despite being without star guard Allen Iverson. Philadelphia overcame a 20-point deficit.
Michael Redd scored 20 points and Desmond Mason added 18 for the Bucks, who have lost three straight.
Iverson didn't play because of a right knee injury that also will keep him out of Tuesday night's game at Chicago.
The Sixers, who trailed by 20 points in the second quarter, took their first lead at 78-76, on a three-point play by Hamilton with 8:38 left in the game.
Cavaliers 108, Hawks 102
In Atlanta, LeBron James had 34 points -- his 10th game this season with more than 30 -- and made three free throws in the final minute to help Cleveland beat Atlanta.
The Cavaliers won their fourth in a row to take a half-game lead over idle Miami and Toronto for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. After a trip to Toronto on Wednesday night to play the Raptors, Cleveland returns home for five straight.
Carlos Boozer added 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Jeff McInnis had 14 points and 10 assists for the Cavs. Stephen Jackson scored a career-high 30 points and Chris Crawford had 25 for the Hawks, who lost for the fifth time in six games.
Mavericks 103, Suns 90
In Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 of his 26 points in the first half, and the Mavericks extended its home winning streak to nine games.
Reserve Antawn Jamison added 21 points and eight rebounds for Dallas, coming off a winless three-game road trip against Houston, San Antonio and Minnesota. The Mavericks are 29-4 at home, 11-19 on the road.
The Suns got 29 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists from Shawn Marion, and 19 points from Amare Stoudemire.
Stoudemire had at least 20 points and had led the Suns in scoring in 11 consecutive games. He fell one game short of matching the club record for leading the team in scoring set by Charlie Scott in 1974-1975.
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