NBA ROUNDUP : Dallas Hands Pistons Third Consecutive Defeat

The Dallas Mavericks had larceny in their hearts, and Herb Williams wound up with the ball in his hands.

Williams stole the ball from Isiah Thomas and fed Derek Harper for a layup with 8.1 seconds remaining in overtime, giving the Mavericks a 98-96 victory Sunday night over the Detroit Pistons, who lost their third consecutive game.

“That’s exactly the way we planned it,” Williams said. “In the huddle Derek and I talked about getting the double-team. Isiah tried to split us, switched hands on the ball and I took it away.

“Derek took off and was wide-open for the layup.”

The Pistons equaled their longest losing streak of the season and fell 1 1/2 games behind the Lakers in the NBA overall standings, which determine the homecourt advantage through the playoffs.

The Mavericks won their fourth consecutive game, avenging a 30-point setback in Detroit on March 18.

Dallas trailed by six points in the overtime, but Harper hit a three-pointer with 16 seconds left to tie the score, 96-96. After the Mavericks went ahead, Thomas’ desperation shot at the buzzer fell short.

Detroit’s Bill Laimbeer, who made 10 of 12 free throws, missed from the foul line with 26.9 seconds left in overtime to give Dallas the opportunity to tie the score on Harper’s three-pointer.

Rolando Blackman scored 23 points for Dallas and Thomas had 22 for Detroit.

Harper’s basket with 24 seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime at 82-82.

It was Mark Aguirre’s first appearance in Dallas with the Pistons. Aguirre, the Mavericks’ all-time leading scorer who was traded to the Pistons on Feb. 15, 1989, for Adrian Dantley, had 14 points.

Minnesota 110, Portland 105--Pooh Richardson had 20 points and 11 assists, and Tyrone Corbin added 20 points as the Timberwolves knocked off the Trail Blazers at Portland, Ore.

Minnesota snapped a five-game losing streak and won only its third game on the road. The Timberwolves had lost 22 consecutive road games.

Clyde Drexler had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Portland, which fell three games behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division.

Miami 105, Milwaukee 102--Sherman Douglas hit a jump shot from the free-throw line with 7.5 seconds left and slapped away a pass at the 1.3-second mark to lift the Heat to a victory at Miami.

The victory snapped a five-game losing streak and enabled the second-year Miami franchise (16-54) to exceed the number of victories it recorded last season.