NBA Roundup : Ballard Leads Win by Bullets

Greg Ballard scored a season-high 31 points and Gus Williams had 18 assists Monday night at Landover, Md., and the Washington Bullets handed the Cleveland Cavaliers their third straight defeat, 128-115.

The Cavaliers opened the final period with a 9-4 surge to pull within 98-92, but consecutive baskets by Ballard ignited a 6-0 Bullet spree that gave Washington a 12-point lead with eight minutes remaining.

The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the injury-riddled Bullets, who played without starters Jeff Ruland and Cliff Robinson. Reserve forward Tom McMillen, pressed into a starter’s role, scored 19 points despite playing with a sore back.

World B. Free scored a 31 points for the Cavaliers, including 18 in the first half, but was tossed out of the game with 6:34 left when he was slapped with back-to-back technical fouls.

Indiana 129, Golden State 127--Jim Thomas made a three-point play and Tony Brown added two free throws in the final seconds of the second overtime at Indianapolis to lift the Pacers past the Warriors, who lost their 11th straight game.

Golden State led, 124-123, when Thomas was fouled on a layup. Brown made two free throws with eight seconds left to give the Pacers a four-point lead, but Mickey Johnson, a former Pacer, made a three-pointer for the Warriors with three seconds left.

Steve Stipanovich was fouled with one second left. He made the first free throw and purposely missed the second. Time expired before Golden State could call a timeout.

Golden State’s Purvis Short, who scored 38 points, scored with one second left in regulation to tie it, 105-105. Johnson sent the game into its second overtime at 115-115 with a basket with four seconds left.

Herb Williams had 33 points for the Pacers.