NBA ROUNDUP : Rockets Squander Chance

The Houston Rockets were in a position to solidify their shot at the final playoff spot in the West on Saturday night at Houston.

They were playing the Dallas Mavericks, a team that had lost 19 of 21 games and had lost 26 consecutive games on the road.

A victory would have put the Rockets 1 1/2 games ahead of the Lakers in the battle for the final spot. All the Rockets need to beat out the Lakers is to tie them, based on the tiebreaker.

But Rolando Blackman had 30 points and Rodney McCray had a triple-double to lead the Mavericks to a 99-92 victory, ending the longest road losing streak in Dallas history.

Now, leading the Lakers by half a game, the Rockets have a tough schedule. They will play Portland and Phoenix at home, then face Utah on the road and end the season at Dallas.

McCray had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists and helped the Mavericks take a 19-point lead during the third quarter.

Hakeem Olajuwon and Sleepy Floyd sparked a rally that cut the lead to 92-90 with four minutes to play, but the Rockets scored only two more points--none in the last three minutes.

“I’m very disappointed,” said Olajuwon, who had 19 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks and five steals. “I can’t believe we lost. We were supposed to win this one.”

The Mavericks have won only 20 games this season, but they have won three out of five against the Rockets.

“We don’t match up with Blackman,” Olajuwon said.

Miami 105, Orlando 101--Glen Rice scored 31 of his club-record 46 points during the second half at Miami and the Heat sustained its bid to win a playoff berth.

The victory gave the Heat a 37-42 record. It is half a game behind Atlanta and New Jersey, which are tied for the last two playoff positions in the East. Miami is one game behind Indiana, which is in sixth place.

Nick Anderson, who had 34 points for the Magic, had a chance to put his team ahead with 25 seconds to play, but missed a jumper. Bimbo Coles made only one of two free throws with 13 seconds to play and the Miami lead was 103-101. Orlando missed a chance to tie when Brian Williams blew a layup and Rice grabbed the rebound.

The Heat has three games left, two at home (New Jersey and Milwaukee) and the finale at Boston.

Atlanta 118, New Jersey 98--The Hawks were supposed to drop out of the playoff chase soon after they lost Dominique Wilkins for the season late in January. But they are still in the hunt.

Kevin Willis had 22 points and 15 rebounds at Atlanta and the Hawks moved into a tie for seventh place in the East with the Nets. Both are 37-41 with four games to play.

“There is still life, but we’re on the support system,” Hawk Coach Bob Weiss said.

In their last four games the Hawks will play New York at home, a home-and-home series with Chicago and a road game at Cleveland.

Meanwhile, the Nets will play Indiana at home, a home-and-home series with Orlando and at Miami.

Golden State 134, Phoenix 125--This was the showdown battle for second place in the Pacific Division at Oakland.

The Warriors would have been in trouble with a defeat. Instead, they went to the front early, led by 15 after three quarters and held off a rally by the Suns. The Warriors, with four games to play, lead the Suns by 2 1/2 games.

The Warriors’ Chris Mullin had 33 points, Sarunas Marciulionis 21 and Tim Hardaway 20.

The Warriors are 52-26. Last season they were 44-38.

Chicago 108, Indiana 106--Michael Jordan scored 19 of his 23 points during the second half at Chicago and the Bulls held off Indiana. The Bulls improved the best record in the NBA to 64-14.

Jordan also blocked Reggie Miller’s shot that would have put Indiana ahead with 15 seconds to play.

Sacramento 114, Minnesota 94--The Kings’ Lionel Simmons had 26 points and Wayman Tisdale added 21 at Sacramento. The Kings led, 64-45, at halftime.