Karl Malone

LANDOVER -- If John Stockton played anywhere but media-scarce Salt Lake City, he would have his baby face plastered on billboards, endorse countless products and be a frequent guest on late-night talk shows.But the Utah Jazz All-Star guard remains the best-kept secret in America. In his lone appearance at the Capital Centre this season, Stockton treated a crowd of 11,729 to a virtuoso performance, scoring 27 points, handing out 16 assists and making five steals to lead the Jazz to a 104-93 victory over the Washington Bullets.

BOWIE -- John Williams had his sharpest needle out for fellow Washington Bullets forward Harvey Grant after a practice session yesterday in preparation for tonight's game against the Midwest Division-leading Utah Jazz."

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The message was delivered early, and forcefully, when Charles Barkley leveled Karl Malone going through a pick in the first quarter of yesterday's National Basketball Association All-Star Game.The collision between these two massive power forwards could be heard throughout the strangely subdued Charlotte Coliseum and was felt by the West team."Charles set the tone for the way the game was going to be played," Magic Johnson said later.Meaning that defense -- an ingredient usually absent from these midseason affairs -- was there in surprising abundance.

LANDOVER -- Charles Barkley's opinion notwithstanding, Washington Bullets forward Bernard King was named yesterday to start in the National Basketball Association All-Star Game."

ATLANTA -- John Stockton laughed, rolled his eyes and looked over at teammate Mark Eaton. He lifted his hand as if he were holding something and started to speak very slowly."

Washington Bullets coach Wes Unseld refused to use the plane troubles his team experienced on the way to Salt Lake City as an excuse for the 135-101 drubbing by the Utah Jazz at the Salt Palace on Monday night."

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Jazz had a 22-2 lead before the Washington Bullets had a chance to break a sweat and rolled to a 135-101 victory last night. The point total was a season high for Utah.Karl Malone and Jeff Malone combined for 66 points with season-high totals. Karl Malone had 38 points and 15 rebounds, and former Bullet Jeff Malone had 28 points and seven rebounds."I wanted to beat these guys," said Jeff Malone. "It's a new experience to come out and play in front of a packed house."

Midwest Division San Antonio Spurs Last season: First (56-26), lost to Portland in conference semifinals, 4-3.Coach: Larry Brown (294-245).New faces: F/C Sidney Green (trade), F David Greenwood (free agent), F Paul Pressey (trade), F Mike Mitchell (free agent), F Sean Higgins (draft), F Tony Massenburg (draft), C Dwayne Schintzius (draft).Departed: F Frank Brickowski (trade), G David Wingate (released), C Uwe Blab (released), C Mark McNamara (trade).Outlook: Brown has bolstered his bench with Green, Pressey and Mitchell on a talent-rich team built around C David Robinson.