Karl Malone and John Stockton had different reasons to be happy after the United States Olympic basketball team ended pool play with a 122-81 win over Spain Sunday night.
Malone was happy because the medal round was finally ready to begin - with a Tuesday night game against Puerto Rico - and Stockton was happy because he'd finally been able to play.Sufficiently recovered from the right fibula hairline fracture he incurred in the second game of the Tournament of the America's qualifying tournament, Stockton played his first Olympic minutes - six of them - and scored his first Olympic points - four of them, on a free throw and a three-point basket.
"I was thrilled," said Stockton. "Just to be out there was such a great feeling. I wanted to start giggling but I didn't think that would be appropriate. I felt like a little kid in a candy shop."
For six weeks, Stockton rode the bench - and the exercise bicycle - as the Dream Team advanced unbeaten and unbruised through the Tournament of the America's in Portland and the Olympic pool schedule here. He had the best seat in the Palau D'Esports basketball stadium as the U.S. defeated Angola, Croatia, Germany and Brazil by an average of 47.5 points.
But he grew increasingly anxious about the condition of his leg, and whether he'd ever be able to contribute as a part of the already legendary team.
"I've always known the leg will heal, that wasn't the question," he said Sunday. "The question was whether it would heal in time for the Olympics."
Stockton played briefly in both halves against the Spaniards. When head coach Chuck Daly summoned him into the game midway through the opening half, he did not know the call was coming.
"I didn't expect it," he said. "That was probably the best way to get started. It was a quick rush. There was a real shot of adrenalin."
Stockton said that while his right leg is sufficiently healed, he still isn't 100 percent. "There's still a lot of apprehension on my part, and some discomfort," he said. "If it were a two-point game I'm not sure I would have played. I'm just glad to be part of a team that allows me to play and not be 100 percent."
Stockton, who was cut from the 1984 Olympic team tryouts before turning pro, said he didn't think about that disappointment when he finally got on the floor in the Olympics. But he did say he thought about 1984 six weeks ago, after he broke his leg.
"I sat in my room in Portland and thought it was over," he said. "I was just sick. In a way it was the same feeling I'd had in '84 when I got cut. My stomach was in knots. I felt terrible."
Malone, a stable force for a U.S. squad that has been uncommonly riddled by injury (five of the 12 players have missed games because of injury), scored seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds in 20 minutes of playing time Sunday night. Malone made no secret after the game of his pleasure at getting the preliminary round games over with.
"It's like the playoffs in the NBA," said the Jazz forward. "You want them to get here."
"We're anxious for the real thing to start so we can do what we came for," Malone said, "and then go home. You don't want to stand in one spot too long. That's not good. I know this, Salt Lake's going to look awful good to me when I get off that plane."
The U.S. opens medal-round play against Puerto Rico, a team that ended pool play Sunday by beating the previously undefeated Unified Team, 82-70. The Puerto Ricans feature Jose Ortiz at center. Ortiz played briefly for the Utah Jazz.
"I like Jose a lot," said Malone. "But unfortunately he's on one of those teams we have to get by to get the gold. We realize one thing now - you lose one game, you're gone."