CHARLOTTE, NC, March 14 (Ticker) -- Jamal Mashburn scored 26 points and Baron Davis added 18 and seven assists as the Charlotte Hornets trounced the Utah Jazz, 100-82, strengthening their weak hold on the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.

Charlotte held a flu-weakened Karl Malone to three points on 1-of-11 shooting in 25 minutes while taking a one-game lead over ninth-place Miami in the East.

"Our defense was terrific. When we come out with defensive intensity, we play terrific," Charlotte coach Paul Silas said. "I thought Mash and Baron did an excellent job."

"We just didn't step up tonight. I wasn't feeling well, but we just didn't do it as a team," Malone said. "We have to be ready to play regardless of who's in the lineup. Maybe I shouldn't have played tonight."

NBA TV highlights from Jazz-Hornets: 56k | 300k David Wesley chose a good night for an off night, missing eight of his 11 shots. Garrett W. Ellwood NBAE/Getty Images

Elden Campbell chipped in 12 points for the Hornets, who won for just the second time in six games.

Donyell Marshall scored 15 points and Andrei Kirilenko 10 as the struggling Jazz suffered their season-high fourth straight loss.

Coming off Monday's embarrassing 79-78 loss at Memphis, the Jazz trailed by eight points after the first quarter and 55-37 at halftime. The deficit remained double digits thereafter.

"We started out OK, but when the pressure picked up we backed away from it instead of going toward the hoop," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "With Karl being sick, the other guys need to understand what plays we're running. We just didn't have that tonight."

P.J. Brown scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds as Charlotte shot 45 percent (37-of-83) from the field and used 15 steals to overcome Utah's 53-38 rebounding advantage. They also forced 21 turnovers while committing 13.

"This is the time of the year you have to focus on defense," Mashburn said. "The offense will come, but the defense has to be there every night."

John Stockton and John Starks each added nine points for Utah, which shot just 35 percent (29-of-83) from the floor and are clinging to a one-half game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers for the final Western Conference playoff spot.

The Hornets led 38-30 when David Wesley drained a 3-pointer with 5:07 left in the second period to ignite a 17-7 burst. Davis scored seven points and Wesley five in the run.

"We have to keep coming out with the same intensity and energy," Davis said. "This is the time when everyone has to come together. I think we are."

Charlotte continued to dominate in the second half, taking its biggest lead at 70-44 on Davis' layup with 7:05 left in the third quarter.