NBA ROUNDUP : Spurs Display Playoff Intensity in 115-105 Win

The San Antonio Spurs are getting into a playoff mode.

“We are starting to play with a lot more confidence,” center David Robinson said after his 24 points helped the Spurs defeat the Golden State Warriors, 115-105, at San Antonio Monday. “We are as good right now as we have ever been.”

It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Spurs and ninth in 10 games as they moved 1 1/2 games ahead of idle Houston in the Midwest Division.

Golden State, currently seventh in the Western Conference, would meet San Antonio in the playoffs if the teams maintain their present positions.

“That was playoff basketball,” Warrior Coach Don Nelson said. “I thought we played very well. I’ve always said if we play hard and intense and lose, I don’t have a problem with that.”

Golden State led, 83-79, with 10:32 to play when San Antonio went on a 21-4 blitz. The Spurs limited the Warriors to two field goals over the next six minutes, pulling out to a 100-87 lead.

Golden State came no closer than nine after that.

Sean Elliott scored 26 and Terry Cummings had 20 for the Spurs. Chris Mullin led the Warriors with 20 points, one more than Tim Hardaway. Mitch Richmond added 16.

The Spurs enjoyed a huge edge at the free-throw line, making 37 of 41 to Golden State’s 13 of 18.

San Antonio also set a franchise attendance record, attracting its 37th capacity crowd in 38 home games to reach 604,241, 633 more than last year’s total.

Utah 111, Orlando 95--Karl Malone scored 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter at Salt Lake City, and Jeff Malone added 20 points as the Jazz kept pace with San Antonio in the Midwest Division. Third-place Utah is two games behind the Spurs and half a game behind the Houston Rockets in the division.

Dennis Scott led the Magic with 26 points. Otis Smith had 21 points and Scott Skiles had 20.

The Jazz led, 78-73, heading into the fourth quarter, but the Malones combined for 23 points in the period and the Jazz won going away.

Jeff Malone got nine points in the first quarter as Utah built a 25-19 lead. The advantage went to 49-37 after Thurl Bailey’s basket with 1:25 remaining in the half. But successive three-point shots by Jerry Reynolds and Scott halved the lead before Karl Malone sank a three-point shot at the buzzer. It was his third three-pointer in 13 attempts this season.

Scott had 11 points and Smith nine in the third quarter for the Magic, who pulled within 54-53 with 9:53 remaining. Karl Malone and Bailey, with eight and six points, respectively, built the lead back to five points after three quarters.

Atlanta 105, Washington 94--Glenn Rivers and John Battle scored key baskets at Atlanta as the Hawks handed the Bullets their fifth consecutive road loss and 13th in 14 games.

Washington had scored eight consecutive points to cut their deficit to 95-89 when Rivers scored consecutive baskets. Battle then scored the final six points for the Hawks.

The Hawks led, 80-67, entering the final quarter, but the Bullets put together the first of two 8-0 streaks to pull within 85-79 with 7:54 left. Ledell Eackles and Harvey Grant each had four points in the streak.

But Atlanta then scored six consecutive points, four by Duane Ferrell, who had a career-high 20 points.

Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins led all scorers with 29 points. Pervis Ellison’s 26 points were tops for the Bullets.

Seattle 118, Denver 112--K.C. Jones became the 14th coach in NBA history to win 500 games as the SuperSonics won at Seattle for the fifth time in the past six games.

Shawn Kemp scored five points in a 19-2 run that helped the SuperSonics erase a 101-97 Nugget lead early in the fourth quarter.

Orlando Woolridge led the Nuggets with 27 points.