RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) _ Karl Malone scored nine of his 28 points in a 19-3 game-ending run as the Utah Jazz defeated Denver 96-83 Tuesday night for their 11th win in 12 games.

Nick Van Exel hit a 20-foot jumper to put Denver up 80-77 midway through the fourth quarter before the Nuggets went cold. Malone hit a baseline jumper and a three-point play in a 9-0 run that gave the Jazz an 86-80 lead with 2:56 to play.

Antonio McDyess hit a free throw before Jeff Hornacek hit a 3-pointer and then fed Bryon Russell for an emphatic fast-break dunk to make it 91-81 with 1:59 remaining.

Malone hit 10 of 11 free throws and grabbed 10 rebounds, Russell had 16 points, and Hornacek and Howard Eisley added 12 points each for the Jazz, who shot 72 percent in the fourth quarter.

McDyess led Denver with 25 points and 12 rebounds while Keon Clark scored 19 points. Van Exel had 13 assists but scored just 8 points on 2 of-12 shooting.

As they did in the teams' last meeting at the Delta Center in January, the Jazz finished with a huge fourth quarter to post their eighth straight home win. In that game Denver coach Dan Issel shouted at his Utah counterpart Jerry Sloan for running up the score even though the teams were even midway through the last period.

This time, Sloan made a point to clear his bench with 34 seconds to play as the Nuggets lost their 11th game of the last 13.

James Posey brought the Nuggets out of halftime with a bang as the rookie guard hit a pair of 3-pointers. McDyess added a follow hoop and suddenly Denver had a 54-49 edge.

The Nuggets stayed in front for the rest of the third quarter as McDyess used his quickness to score over and around the Jazz centers. The 6-foot-9 leaper had 12 points in the quarter on 6-of-7 shooting and Denver led 72-67 going into the final period.

The Jazz, who led the entire first half, jumped out to a 17-5 lead as Malone scored 10 and John Stockton handed out six assists in the first quarter.

But Denver battled back behind the inside scoring of Clark, who had 12 in the half, to cut the lead to 49-47 at halftime.

Notes: Nuggets starting guard Tariq Abdul-Wahad missed his second game with a sprained wrist. ... Karl Malone, who has been a spokesman for Rogaine, shaved his head before the game. ... Denver last won in Salt Lake City in 1995, a span of eight games.