NBA Roundup : Goaltending Call Helps Bullets Sink Suns

Jeff Malone scored 31 points, and Dan Roundfield was awarded a basket with 10 seconds left on a goaltending call against Ed Pickney as the Washington Bullets edged the Phoenix Suns, 114-112, Thursday night at Landover, Md.

Roundfield’s basket, which followed misses by Malone and Cliff Robinson, gave the Bullets a 113-112 lead.

Walter Davis missed an opportunity to put Phoenix ahead with four seconds left when he missed a shot from the lane. Malone grabbed the rebound and was fouled.

Malone sank the free throw to give Washington the final margin of victory.

The win was the third in a row and fifth in the last six games for Washington (22-21). The Suns (15-26) have lost four straight and six in a row on the road.

Houston 124, Sacramento 107--The Rockets’ Akeem Olajuwon and Robert Reid took up the scoring slack for Ralph Sampson, who was ejected from the game, and led Houston over the Kings at Houston.

The victory snapped the Kings’ win streak at three and gave the Rockets a 22-1 home court record this season.

Olajuwon, playing with four fouls throughout the fourth quarter, scored 22 points, and Reid led all scorers with 23 points.

Sampson was ejected with 7:05 to go in the third quarter after receiving two technical fouls.

New Jersey 106, Utah 105--Otis Birdsong scored on a jump shot with a minute remaining, and the Nets held on to beat the Jazz at Salt Lake City.

Utah’s Adrian Dantley, who scored 36 points, missed a free throw with four seconds remaining that could have sent the game into overtime.

After Birdsong’s last basket, Dantley hit a field goal and was fouled by Darryl Dawkins.

Dantley, an 82% free-throw shooter, connected on the first, but the second shot bounced off, and the Nets grabbed the rebound and the game.

Portland 117, Seattle 107--Steve Colter scored six points in the second overtime period as the Trail Blazers pulled away for the win at Portland.

The Sonics, losers of six in a row, led nearly the entire second half and were ahead, 91-89, after Xavier McDaniel made one of two free throws with 10 seconds left in regulation. But Terry Porter’s driving layup with four seconds to play forced the overtime.