Jazz Routs Spurs for 3-1 Lead

David Robinson offered no excuses for yet another poor performance against the surprisingly tough Utah Jazz.

“The game speaks for itself. I have no other comment,” the San Antonio center said after the Jazz held him to 11 points en route to a 101-86 victory Sunday at Salt Lake City, which has the Spurs on the brink of elimination in the Western Conference semifinals.

Utah has a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The three victories have been by 20, 30 and 15 points. Game 5 is Tuesday night at the Alamodome.

Robinson, who also was held to 11 points in the previous game against the Jazz, took only three shots from the field before fouling out midway through the fourth quarter.

“I don’t have any comment on the fouls on David--except for about four of them,” Spur Coach Bob Hill said. “He didn’t get the benefit of the doubt on the calls tonight, as normally a player of his magnitude gets.”

For the Jazz, it was Chris Morris who starred offensively. Morris, who got the start at small forward this series after David Benoit bruised his knee, scored 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting--including three of four three-pointers. Karl Malone had 22 points and John Stockton had 13 points and 10 assists.

Sean Elliott led San Antonio with 22 points, Chuck Person had 17 and Avery Johnson 14.

Said Hill: “We have out backs to the wall and we have to go home and win, come back and win, and go home win again,” he said. “Utah is playing great basketball.”

Orlando 103, Atlanta 96--Shaquille O’Neal scored 26 points at Atlanta as the Magic won its sixth consecutive playoff victory and opened a 3-0 lead over the Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

“I’m impressed,” Magic guard Nick Anderson said. “It shows maturity is settling in and we’re playing well together--the best we ever have.”

The Magic can wrap up the best-of-seven series tonight at the Omni and earn another trip to the conference finals, where, in all likelihood, the Bulls and Michael Jordan will be the opponent.

O’Neal picked up his fifth foul with a little more than seven minutes to play and played only 16 minutes in the second half. But he was around to make two big plays in the final minutes.

After Atlanta cut the Magic lead to 97-96 on two free throws by Christian Laettner with 2:47 remaining, O’Neal caught a pass in the lane with Laettner on his back. Instead of trying to force a shot and risk his sixth foul, O’Neal dished the ball outside to Dennis Scott, who made a three-pointer with 2:28 left.

Penny Hardaway, who scored 21 points, tipped in his own miss with 1:46 remaining to give the Magic a 102-96 lead, then O’Neal sealed the victory at the defensive end. Steve Smith drove through the lane but had his shot blocked by O’Neal, with the ball deflecting out of bounds off Smith’s back.

“People that think Shaq is just a dunk machine are badly mistaken,” Anderson said. “There’s a lot more to his game--the boards in spite of foul trouble, his passing to open guys on the perimeter.” O’Neal led the Magic with 12 rebounds.

Laettner led Atlanta with 26 points and Mookie Blaylock scored 16 of his 20 in the third quarter to send the game to the fourth quarter tied, 82-82.

“I’m not sure what happened,” Blaylock said.