NBA Roundup : Suns Bring More Gloom to Boston Garden, 106-104

Phoenix outscored Boston, 10-3, in the last 2 1/2 minutes, and the Suns, led by Tom Chambers with 33 points, broke a 9-season Boston Garden losing streak with a 106-104 victory over the Celtics Wednesday night.

The Suns have won 7 of their last 8 games, and Boston has lost 5 of its last 6.

Brian Shaw’s layup gave Boston a 101-96 lead with 2:40 left. Then Phoenix took control.

Eddie Johnson made 2 free throws, Chambers sank a shot from the lane and Johnson connected from the right corner, giving the Suns a 102-101 edge with 59 seconds left.

Boston’s Danny Ainge stole the ball from Kevin Johnson, but Johnson stole it right back. Two free throws by Jeff Hornacek built the Suns’ lead to 104-101 before Jim Paxson hit 2 foul shots for Boston.

Chambers, who made 12 free throws without a miss, got his last 2 with 8 seconds left. Ainge, fouled by Hornacek with 2 seconds remaining, made his first shot. He deliberately missed the second, but it didn’t hit the rim, giving the Suns possession, and they ran out the clock.

Kevin McHale scored 27 points for Boston.

Washington 109, Charlotte 86--Terry Catledge scored 21 points as the Bullets crushed the cold-shooting Hornets at Landover, Md.

Charlotte missed its first 6 shots, made only 33% of its shots in the first quarter and just 5 of 19 attempts in the second period, falling behind, 59-30, at halftime.

The Hornets’ 10-point second quarter and 30-point half were both franchise lows for the first-year expansion team.

Jeff Malone scored 19 points for Washington, and former Laker Kurt Rambis scored 16 for Charlotte.

Indiana 116, Atlanta 113--Wayman Tisdale scored 24 points, including 8 in a final-period run that gave Indiana the lead for good, as the Pacers snapped a 9-game losing streak with the win over the Hawks at Indianapolis.

Dominique Wilkins had 29 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta.

New York 105, New Jersey 96--Trent Tucker’s 3-point shot capped a 20-0 fourth-quarter spurt that boosted the Knicks to victory over the Nets at East Rutherford, N.J.

The Knicks, who overcame a 17-point deficit with the late run, held the Nets scoreless for 7 minutes 4 seconds during the spurt, which was 2 points short of the club record set in 1974 against Philadelphia.

Patrick Ewing had 30 points for New York.

Roy Hinson scored 18 points and Chris Morris added 15 for the Nets, who played without center Joe Barry Carroll, sidelined with an upset stomach.

Golden State 109, Miami 100--The Warriors blew all but 4 points of a 23-point, first-quarter lead before turning back the Heat at Oakland.

Golden State, playing after a 7-day layoff, won for the sixth time in its last 7 home games after scoring 39 points in the first quarter.

The Warriors capitalized on 12 points by surprise starter Tellis Frank and 11 turnovers by Miami to take a 39-22 lead after one period.

The Warriors led by at least 13 points until the fourth quarter, when a Miami rally cut the deficit to 104-100 on a 3-point shot by Kevin Edwards with 1:04 left. But the Heat went scoreless the rest of the way.

Chris Mullin scored 26 points for the Warriors. Rony Seikaly had 20 for the Heat.