Jazz trip Pistons minus Malone
CBC Sports
NBA: Utah Jazz 100, Detroit Pistons 97
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CBC
Without their best player, the Utah Jazz edged the Detroit Pistons with clutch play from a pair of rookies and a wily veteran.

Rookies Andrei Kirilenko and Jarron Collins combined for 43 points in place of flu-ridden Karl Malone and John Stockton, added 14 points and 10 assists as the Jazz snapped a season-high four-game losing streak with a 100-97 triumph over the Pistons.

Kirilenko made 11-of-15 shots for a season-high 27 points, adding nine rebounds.

Collins collected 16 points and nine boards for the Jazz, who won their third straight visit to The Palace.

After Jon Barry hit a jumper and a 3-pointer to give Detroit a 96-90 lead with 1:58 remaining, John Starks countered with a shot from the arc and Stockton -- who turns 40 later this month -- hit a pull-up 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game with 79 seconds left.

Stockton hit a floater in the lane to give Utah the lead for good, 88-86, with 40 seconds to go.

Detroit's Ben Wallace and Utah's Donyell Marshall each hit 1-of-2 free throws before Stockton made only 1-of-2 at the line to extend Utah's advantage to 100-97 with 11 seconds remaining.

Jerry Stackhouse tried a 3-pointer from the top of the key, but Kirilenko got a piece of the ball.

Detroit's Damon Jones snagged the rebound and raced to the right corner, but his off-balance attempt at the buzzer did not fall.

Stackhouse scored 24 points and Clifford Robinson 19 for Detroit, which fell into a first-place tie with Milwaukee atop the NBA Central Division.

Marshall added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Jazz, who moved a game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.