HIGH POINT
  Five games in seven nights? No problem for 38-year-old Karl Malone, who continued his best stretch of the season. In 40 minutes, he finished with 35 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Malone played all 24 minutes in the second half, when he scored 23 points and shot 14 free throws.

  LOW POINT
  The Jazz's defense disappeared during a 9 1/2-minute stretch that started late in the first half and continued into the third quarter. The Cavs scored on 20 of their 26 possessions in that span, when they wiped out a 43-27 deficit and tied the game, 68-68. "We just stopped guarding people," said coach Jerry Sloan.

  TURNING POINT
  Down 71-70 in the final moments of the third quarter, the Jazz executed perfectly. Malone hit a jump shot with 38 seconds remaining and Rusty LaRue nailed a three-point shot with nine-tenths of a second left, igniting a 15-3 surge that finally subdued the Cavaliers. "That three by Rusty was huge," Malone said.