SALT LAKE CITY – Andrei Kirilenko had 17 points and six blocked shots as the Utah Jazz held the Los Angeles Clippers to the lowest field goal percentage in franchise history in an 88-73 victory Saturday night.
Even though the Clippers shot 10-of-21 in the fourth quarter during garbage time, they finished at 26.3 percent (21-of-80). The previous franchise low was 26.8 percent against Houston on Feb. 28, 2000.
Matt Harpring scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Karl Malone added 13 as the Jazz won their third in a row.
Corey Maggette led Los Angeles with 13 points while Wang ZhiZhi followed his career high of 21 on Wednesday with 12 points in his first start at center.
In the last meeting between the teams, the Clippers ended a 26-game losing streak in Utah that dated to April 18, 1989. The Jazz made certain it wouldn’t happen again by leading the entire way and pushing the margin as high as 30 points.
The Clippers looked disinterested and played selfishly. Los Angeles had only three assists in the first three quarters and finished with 10.
John Stockton played only 22 minutes but still collected 12 assists and 9 points as the Jazz won their third in a row. Utah led 58-28 when Stockton sat for good with 6:24 left in the third quarter.
With the win, Utah moved past the Los Angeles Lakers by one-half game for sixth place in the Western Conference.
Notes: With an injured list that includes starters Michael Olowokandi and Elton Brand, Clippers players have missed 247 games due to injury – the most ever for the club. … Dennis Johnson fell to 3-8 since taking over for Alvin Gentry as L.A.’s head coach. … Matt Harpring took a hard shot to his bruised ribs in the third quarter but continued play, wincing.
AP-ES-03-22-03 2342EST
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