Utah Jazz 20 years ago this week: Karl Malone has magical week

It was quite a week for Karl Malone.

The Jazz power forward scored 34 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a 104-96 road victory over the Orlando Magic, then returned to Utah in time to marry a former Miss Idaho, Kay Kinsey, on Christmas Eve in a ceremony held at Malone's home in Salt Lake City.

Malone scored nine of his game-high 34 points in the final 3:40 of Utah's win.

"Karl was a monster down the stretch," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. "He took the game on his back at that point. Karl has done that so many times."

Malone said he and his new bride would take an abbreviated Christmas Day trip to Wendover, then would have their honeymoon next summer in Alaska.

"I love to fish," said Malone. "We can go up to Alaska next summer, and there won't be many people. It's going to be great."

Malone, who met Kinsey last year in Salt Lake City, said when she was told he was "The Mailman," she didn't know who he was and wanted to know "if I was the first black mailman in Utah, or what."