Malone scored 22 points and Stockton added 19 as the Utah Jazz rallied from a pair of fourth-quarter deficits en route to a 104-100 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
Utah's struggles have led to rumors that Malone may be on his way out via a trade, a move that could force Stockton's retirement following this season. But the veteran duo showed a flash of former brilliance Tuesday, combining for 14 points in the fourth quarter.
 A familiar sight: Malone around the hoop with the ball in his hands. Kent Horner/NBAE/Getty Images |
"I don't think it's any tougher to get your confidence back than it is to lose it in the first place," Stockton said. "It could happen in an instance and it doesn't take much."
The Jazz opened the final period with 13 straight points and took their first lead of the second half, 88-86, on a jumper by Malone with 7:31 to play.
Utah opened a 93-88 lead on a driving layup by John Crotty with 5:31 left before the Hornets went on a 9-2 run to reclaim the lead, 97-95, on jumper by Lee Nailon at the 2:40 mark.
Stockton tied it on a pair of free throws before David Wesley made a 3-pointer to give Charlotte a 100-97 lead with 1:53 left.
Rookie Andrei Kirilenko followed with a tip-in and Stockton dished to Malone for a layup that gave the Jazz a 101-100 lead with 1:16 to go. Crotty nailed a 3-pointer with three seconds remaining to seal Utah's third victory in eight games.
"It played out perfectly," Crotty said. "I was spotting up over the side, Stock hit me right in ryhthm and it felt good leaving my hand. It's a great win down the stretch for us. We played with a lot of energy and hustle plays."
"That was a really good win for us, coming from behind and getting a little confidence for ourselves," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "We did a better job of giving ourselves a chance to win."
Malone had eight rebounds and Stockton handed out seven assists. Kirilenko recorded season highs with 19 points and five blocks to go with seven rebounds.
The Jazz shot 51 percent (38-of-75), made 6-of-10 3-pointers and 22-of-29 free throws. Kirilenko made 6-of-9 shots and Stockton made 6-of-10 while Padgett sank 3-of-5 en route to a season-high eight points.
Baron Davis scored 21 points and Jamaal Magloire added a career-high 19 for Charlotte, which has lost three straight and fell to 0-2 on a six-game road trip.
"Had we won this won it would have been a much easier trip," Charlotte coach Paul Silas said. "But we're up for the challenge and as long as we keep playing hard and give ourselves a chance to win, that's all I ask."
Wesley finished with 17 points and Lee Nailon chipped in 14 as the Hornets shot 46 percent (38-of-82) and made 7-of-13 3-pointers.
Charlotte trailed throughout the first 11 minutes but ended the first quarter with a 12-4 run. Bryce Drew nailed a pair of 3-pointers in the final 32 seconds, including one with three seconds left to give the Hornets a 29-27 lead.
Drew made another 3-pointer just 37 seconds into the second quarter to give Charlotte the lead for the remainder of the first half. Davis scored 13 points in the quarter and the Hornets had a 61-58 halftime lead.
Charlotte seemed to pull away midway through the third with a 9-2 run that turned a four-point lead into a 75-64 advantage with 5:44 left.
The Hornets carried an 86-76 cushion into the fourth but missed their first nine shots while Utah made six of its first seven to surge ahead.
"They made a push and we just didn't push back," Davis said. "We should have walked out of here with a 10- or 15-point victory but we didn't. We stopped playing hard. That's why we lost."
"We had a 10-point lead and they cut into the lead and then it was a dogfight all the way down to the end," Silas said. "We just couldn't make the plays we needed to."
Charlotte has lost its last six visits to the Delta Center dating to December 6, 1994.