NBA Roundup : Free Throws Lift Pistons Past Rockets, 114-110

Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer each sank a pair of free throws in the final 23 seconds Monday night at Houston to give the Detroit Pistons a 114-110 National Basketball Assn. victory over the Houston Rockets.

The victory moved the Pistons to within one-half game of the first-place Atlanta Hawks in the Central Division.

“We’re playing really good basketball,” Thomas said. “We’re steadily peaking and playing with more instinct. I think we’ve gotten a little better, but we’re nowhere near where we can be.”

Houston closed within 110-108 on an 18-footer by Allen Leavell with 1:04 left, but the Pistons grabbed two offensive rebounds before Thomas made two free throws with 23 seconds left.

Rodney McCray scored for Houston before Laimbeer’s free throws clinched the victory with 10 seconds left.

Adrian Dantley scored 25 points for Detroit, Thomas had 21 points and 12 assists, and Laimbeer added 17 points and 19 rebounds.

“He’s very big,” Houston’s Akeem Olajuwon said of Laimbeer. “He can’t jump, so he knows he has to position himself.”

Olajuwon also said he had trouble defending against Laimbeer because “he stays outside to shoot the ball.”

Olajuwon scored 38 points for the Rockets and added 13 rebounds.

Dallas 103, Philadelphia 100--Rolando Blackman scored 38 points, and the Mavericks beat the 76ers for the first time in Philadelphia.

Dallas was 0-6 in Philadelphia since entering the NBA in 1980.

The Mavericks led, 98-93, with two minutes left, but Steve Colter hit a jump shot and David Wingate added a layup with 51 seconds left to pull the 76ers to within 98-97.

But Blackman’s basket with 33 seconds left and his two free throws 15 seconds later sealed the victory.

Charles Barkley scored 24 points and Tim McCormick added 22 for Philadelphia.

Utah 122, Denver 118--Karl Malone scored 33 points and Darrell Griffith added 20 as the Jazz held off the Nuggets at Salt Lake City.

Malone scored 24 points as the Jazz built a 16-point lead just before halftime, but Blair Rasmussen and Bill Hanzlik held Malone in check as the Nuggets rallied.

Denver got to within 107-106 on two free throws by Alex English, but Utah regained the lead and Mark Eaton clinched the victory with two free throws that made it 120-116 with 19 seconds left.

Darrell Walker scored 39 points for Denver, and English and Lafayette Lever each added 22.

Seattle 126, New York 121--Xavier McDaniel scored 6 of his career-high 40 points in overtime as the SuperSonics overcame the Knicks at New York.

New York, which fell behind by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, sent the game into overtime when Rory Sparow’s basket tied the score, 107-107, with one second left.

Seattle pulled away in overtime behind McDaniel and Dale Ellis, who scored 9 of his 27 points in the extra period.

Tom Chambers had 33 points for Seattle. Gerald Wilkins scored 32 for the Knicks.

Indianapolis 101, Washington 92--Steve Stipanovich scored 27 points, and the Pacers pulled away in the final quarter to beat the Bullets at Indianapolis.

The score was tied, 82-82, with 5:26 left, but John Long scored five points and Chuck Person had four in a 13-2 run that put the game away for Indiana.

Jay Vincent scored 25 points, and Michael Adams had 16 for the Bullets.