While Karl Malone was relieved to find out he didn't break his shooting hand when he accidentally struck Los Angeles Lakers teammate Rick Fox in the mouth, he made another discovery -- the hand had been broken before.
That information left the second-leading career scorer in NBA history believing he played the 2001-2002 season with the previous injury.
PHOTO: REUTERS
X-rays of Malone's hand following Sunday's 91-84 victory over the Utah Jazz were negative, but that was only part of the story.
PHOTO: REUTERS
"It showed that my hand had been broken before -- I didn't know it," Malone said.
Looking back, though, the 40-year-old star didn't sound surprised.
"I couldn't shake, do a firm handshake," Malone said of two years ago, when he averaged 22.4 points while playing in 80 of a possible 82 games for the Jazz.
"You have injuries that bother you when you're not playing," he said. "When that horn blows, you don't feel it."
Malone had 19 points and 13 rebounds Sunday in his first game ever against Utah. He played 18 seasons for the Jazz before joining the Lakers as a free agent last summer.
Playing his ninth game since being sidelined nearly three months with a torn knee ligament -- the first serious injury of his NBA career -- Malone was on the floor at the end despite banging the knee he injured in December; injuring his shooting hand, and getting whacked in the head.
He said he wasn't aware of his hand injury until the final minutes.
"Kind of amazing -- during the game, you don't feel it," he said. "I looked down and it was swollen. I think Rick was just in the wrong place. He's fine, I think."
Malone remembers going for a rebound in the third quarter when he accidentally hit Fox in the face.
"That was unfortunate, that my head got in the way of his fist," Fox said with a grin. "I was just passing through the lane looking to box somebody out. It's a little sore today."
With that, Fox called out to Malone, saying: "Karl, my jaw broke your hand? I've got a tough chin."
Malone said he felt fine although his hand was still a bit swollen Monday. He said he planned to see a private physician for a second opinion, but added: "I know myself pretty well. I'm not worried about it a lot right now. With my knee, I was. With my hand, I'm not."
Malone has said he was misdiagnosed after injuring his knee Dec. 21. At first, the thought was he would be sidelined a matter of days or weeks. As it turned out, he missed 39 games before returning to action March 12.
The Lakers are 26-7 when he's played.
Malone went through a full practice Monday, and spoke with reporters while working out afterward on an elliptical fitness crosstrainer -- similar to a stairmaster.
"I did what my teammates did [in practice], but that wasn't enough," he said.
The Lakers (50-23), who trail the Western Conference-leading Sacramento Kings by two games with nine remaining, go for their ninth straight victory Tuesday against New Orleans.
The Hornets (37-36) have lost four of their last five games, and will play without their top two scorers -- Baron Davis (sprained ankle) and Jamal Mashburn (knee injury).
"Sometimes those are the most dangerous teams to play -- they come out with nothing to lose," Malone said.
Knicks 92, Blazers 91
Vin Baker make a jump hook over the outstretched arm of Theo Ratliff, the league's leading shot blocker, with 38 seconds left to give the New York Knicks' a three-point lead that held up in a 92-91 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Tim Thomas returned Monday night after a four-game injury absence and scored 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter. Stephon Marbury added 23.
Damon Stoudamire had 20 points and Zach Randolph 19 for the Blazers.
Heat 105, Bulls 96
In Miami, Caron Butler scored 12 of his season-high 30 points in the fourth quarter and pulled down a career-best 13 rebounds to lead Miami.
Dwyane Wade finished with 21 points as the Heat won their ninth consecutive home game. Kirk Hinrich scored 20 points to lead the Bulls, who have lost five straight games.
Celtics 84, Nets 80
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, Paul Pierce overcame early foul trouble to score 18 of his 21 points in the second half for the Boston Celtics, which defeated the New Jersey Nets 84-80.
Ricky Davis added 17, and Mark Blount had 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Celtics. Richard Jefferson led the Nets with 24 points and Lucious Harris added 18. The Nets played their sixth game without injured All-Stars Kenyon Martin and Jason Kidd and fell to 1-5 without them.
Grizzlies 136, Hawks 133, 2 OT
In Atlanta, James Posey scored a career-high 38 points -- including a buzzer-beating 3 to force a second overtime period -- and rampaging Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Hawks 136-133 in the highest-scoring NBA game of the season.
Posey also had 11 rebounds, and Jason Williams scored 22 points in the Grizzlies' sixth straight victory. The 269 combined points surpassed by seven the total between Atlanta and Washington when the Hawks beat the Wizards 138-124 March 12.
Stephen Jackson led the Hawks with 28 points.
Spurs 101, Cavaliers 93
In San Antonio, Manu Ginobili scored 21 points in the Spurs' 101-93 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, which 1 1/2 games behind Boston in the race for the final playoff spot in Eastern Conference.
Tim Duncan added 18 points for the Spurs, 1 1/2 games behind leader Minnesota in the Midwest Division.
Rookie LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 18 points each for the Cavaliers.
Timberwolves 94, Rockets 88
In Houston, Kevin Garnett scored six of his 27 points in the last two minutes, and Sam Cassell added 24 points for the Minnesota Timber-wolves, which defeated the Houston Rockets 94-88.
Minnesota had lost four straight games in Houston since a 90-88 victory on Nov. 3, 2001.
Maurice Taylor, Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley had 17 points apiece for Houston.
Suns 101, Wizards 95
In Phoenix, Arizona, Shawn Marion had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and came up big on defense late in the game to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 101-95 victory over the Washington Wizards.
Joe Johnson added 18 points and Amare Stoudemire 15 in the Suns' fourth win in six games. Marion blocked four shots.
Washington's Larry Hughes scored 32 points and Gilbert Arenas added 30, but made only one of three free throws with 31 seconds remaining in the Wizards' 10th loss in 12 games.
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