It looked like the regular season Sunday afternoon in Mexico City, as veterans Karl Malone, John Stockton and Jeff Hornacek led the Utah Jazz to a come-from-behind win over the Phoenix Suns.
The Jazz trailed by as much as 14, and by six midway through the fourth quarter, before storming back in the final minutes for a 111-105 victory at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City.The win concludes exhibition play for the Jazz; they finished with a 4-4 mark for the second year in a row. Phoenix ended up 5-3.
Malone scored 12 points in the final period. Hornacek nailed a three-pointer to tie the game at 105-all with 1:40 left. Chris Morris drilled a three - for his only points of the game - with 10 seconds left to seal it.
Some good perimeter shooting - or some porous perimeter defense, depending on your point of view - allowed the Suns to score 38 first-quarter points and take a lead they didn't relinquish until the final quarter.
Malone made 12 of 21 shots for 32 points and pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds. Stockton hit nine of 14 shots for 19 points, with 12 assists. And Hornacek scored 27 points on 10 of 17 from the field.
Antoine Carr started at center for Utah and played a team-high 40 minutes. He totaled eight points, five rebounds, five turnovers.
Bryon Russell started at small forward for the Jazz but left with what was initially reported as bruised ribs.
The Suns were led by Wesley Person, with 26 points. Rookie point guard Steve Nash overcame a 1-for-7 shooting start to make eight of 15 for 20 points, with 11 assists and a team-high seven rebounds. Rookie Ben Davis, who had totaled five points in seven previous exhibition games, scored 16.
Phoenix suited up just nine players. Among those out of action were Kevin Johnson, Sam Cassell, Rex Chapman, Michael Finley, Wayman Tisdale, John Williams and Mark Bryant.
Jazz newcomers Charles Claxton and Ruben Nembhard did not play, for the second game in a row. Veteran Jamie Watson also did not play.
Utah next plays Friday night in the season-opener against the Sonics at the Delta Center.