The finality was so swift and brutal Saturday night, even born-to-hunt Karl Malone felt sympathy.
   
"Died on impact," the Mailman diagnosed after the Jazz's 98-69 throttling of Philadelphia. "Poor little fella."
   
He was talking about a rat that was thrown onto the Delta Center floor during the second quarter, one of the odder incidents of the season so far. But Malone had zero compassion for the 76ers, and neither did his teammates, as the Jazz held Philadelphia to five baskets in each of the first three quarters en route to their fourth win in five games.
   
The Jazz, who smothered Allen Iverson (13 points on 4-for-12 shooting) with plenty of help defense, mounted a 12-2 run in the first quarter, a 13-2 stretch in the second and a wondrous 26-3 assault in the third, taking a 75-38 lead at one point in what may have been their most impressive victory of the season.