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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) _ Maybe all Donyell Marshall needed was a chance.

With Karl Malone suspended, Marshall took advantage of extra playing time by scoring a season-high 17 points and getting nine rebounds to lead the Utah Jazz past the Denver Nuggets 116-78 Wednesday night.

Marshall, a 6-foot-9 forward, had struggled in the previous four games, averaging just seven points on 33 percent shooting.

"This was a good chance for me to show what I could do on the court," Marshall said.

Malone, an All-Star forward, was suspended by the NBA for one game for slapping Dallas' Christian Laettner during a game Monday.

Without Malone commanding the low post, the Jazz showed more movement and everyone got more chances to contribute offensively as six Utah players scored in double figures. Utah shot 58 percent from the field and got back on track after losing three of its last five contests.

"When we were at shoot-around, (John Stockton) told us to be prepared to play without Karl tonight. I think a lot of people went home and prepared themselves. I came ready to play," Marshall said.

Voshon Lenard paced the Nuggets (6-6) with 14 points as Denver lost for the ninth straight time in Salt Lake City. The Nuggets' three-game winning streak ended.

Utah's biggest lead was 112-73 on an acrobatic jumper by DeShawn Stevenson with 1:27 to play. The 19-year-old rookie scored a career-high 11 points while playing only in the fourth quarter.

"This was a chance for the guys to step up and be ready," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "We miss Karl Malone but he would want us to play hard and each player get better while he is out."

Jacque Vaughn had a career-best 15 assists, while John Starks scored 16 points and Bryon Russell and John Stockton added 13 points each.

The Jazz "just hammered us in every aspect of the game," Denver coach Dan Issel said. "They really executed their offense, caught us standing around, made hard cuts to the basket, and got easy shots."

The Jazz broke open a close game in the second quarter with a 9-0 run, including five points from Greg Ostertag, that made it 47-33 with 5:09 left in the half.

Utah played a small lineup most of the quarter, with a pair of 6-foot-1 guards in Stockton and Vaughn, and pushed the ball at every opportunity.

Nick Van Exel got so frustrated with the Jazz fast-break success, he gave Stockton a forearm shiver with 1:33 remaining in the second quarter.

Stockton "was going pretty fast and I tried to stop him," Van Exel said. "But I didn't try and hurt him or anything."

Stockton made one of the ensuing flagrant foul shots and then James Posey picked up a technical foul 25 seconds later arguing a foul call.

Van Exel was booed each time he touched the ball after that, and he responded with "bring-it-on" gestures to the crowd. None of the Nuggets starters scored more than Van Exel, who only had seven points.

Danny Manning's layup gave Utah a 59-42 halftime lead.

Denver's Antonio McDyess was unable to capitalize on Malone's absence. He scored four points on 1-of-9 shooting after averaging 22.8 points on 58 percent shooting against the Jazz last year.

Marshall, though, did capitalize on Malone's absence.

"It's been hard to adapt to this team, as structured as it is, but I think I'm slowly getting into it. I have a lot more to learn but it's coming and that's a positive," Marshall said.

Notes: It was just the seventh time Malone has missed a game in his 16-year NBA career. Three have been because of injuries, four because of suspensions. ... Olympic wrestling gold medalist Rulon Gardner came out of the crowd and pinned the Jazz Bear mascot during a timeout. ... The last time Denver won in Salt Lake City was Dec. 7, 1995, when Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf scored 51 points in a 124-119 Nuggets victory.