Malone, Jazz Knock Out Spurs 98-88

First, David Robinson got knocked out by Karl Malone's elbow. Then Robinson's San Antonio Spurs were knocked out of the Midwest Division title race by Malone's Utah Jazz.

With Robinson missing almost the entire game after suffering a concussion, Malone scored 32 points as the Jazz beat the Spurs 98-88 Wednesday night to clinch the Midwest title for the second straight year.

Robinson was guarding Malone in the lane 2½ minutes into the game when the Utah star took a pass from John Stockton and turned to the basket. Malone's elbow caught Robinson on the right side of the head and the San Antonio 7-footer dropped to the floor unconscious.

Robinson regained consciousness about 2 minutes later and was helped off the floor by trainers and doctors. He was taken to a hospital, where he was to stay overnight for observation.

While Malone insisted the elbow was unintentional, Spurs guard Avery Johnson disagreed.

"He should be suspended," said Johnson, who didn't play because of an injury. "You saw the replay. Two plus two equals four."

Malone, one of the strongest players in the league, said he was just "taking the ball strong to the hole."

"It was a tough, physical ball game," said Malone, who was coming off a 56-point effort the previous night against Golden State. "It surprises me they (Spurs) thought it was intentional. But then again, it doesn't surprise me. I've been down that road before.

"The bottom line is, I don't have to play that way, and I don't play like that. ... Whatever happens to a guy like David, it affects you. I respect David."

Tim Duncan, who led the Spurs with 34 points, said the incident could lead to retaliation.

"If it gets to the playoffs and we're up against them, it's going to be a whole different game," he said.

After viewing a replay at halftime, referee Steve Javie said he didn't think the elbow was intentional. In fact, it was Robinson -- not Malone -- who was called for a foul on the play.

John Stockton scored 17 points and Jeff Hornacek had 15 for Utah, which moved a game in front of idle Seattle for the best record in the Western Conference.

Stockton said the Jazz hope that Robinson is OK "because he's a great competitor. Outside of that, you just have to keep playing the game. You feel sorry for him, but you continue playing. We just hung in there."

Reggie Geary scored a career-high 13 points for San Antonio, which holds a half-game lead over Phoenix for the fourth-best record in the West.

Duncan's three-point play cu Utah's lead to 76-73 with 8:31 left in the game, but the Jazz increased their advantage to 83-76 on Chris Morris' 3-pointer with 6:58 remaining.

Jaren Jackson's 3-pointer cut it to 85-81, but Malone answered with a basket. After Carl Herrera's jumper brought San Antonio within 87-83, Bryon Russell hit a basket and a 3-pointer for a 92-83 lead with 2:14 to play.

A 3-pointer by Jackson with 1:28 left made it 92-88, but Malone hit a jumper and Morris blocked a layup attempt by Duncan with 30 seconds to play.

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