NBA ROUNDUP : Malone Storms Back, Delivers Dallas’ 19th Loss in a Row

Bouncing back from one of the worst performances of his career, Karl Malone beat up on the worst team in the league.

Malone poured in 36 points Monday night at Dallas as the Utah Jazz cruised to a 109-96 victory over the Mavericks, extending the Mavericks’ club-record losing streak to 19 games.

If the Mavericks lose to Orlando at Dallas Wednesday night, they will tie the NBA record for consecutive defeats in one season held by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers.

Malone, who scored 15 points before being ejected in the fourth quarter of a 104-95 defeat to the Houston Rockets Saturday night, sank 12 of 17 shots and 12 of 13 free throws and added eight rebounds.

Jeff Malone added 17 points for Utah, which lost its previous three road games and eight of 10 overall.

With next season’s coach, Quinn Buckner, in attendance, the Mavericks turned in a rare competitive first half, trailing, 49-44, at intermission.

But Utah broke the game open in the third quarter, using a 21-8 run over the first 6:27 to build a 70-52 lead.

Washington 105, Cleveland 101--Harvey Grant’s 15-foot jump shot with 1:04 left gave the Bullets a lead they did not relinquish and Washington snapped a six-game losing streak by beating the Cavaliers at Baltimore.

The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, but was postponed because of a snowstorm that struck the East Coast.

Tom Gugliotta had 23 points and 10 rebounds. Grant added 21 points and LaBradford Smith scored 20 for Washington.

Brad Daugherty had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Gerald Wilkins added 17 points and Larry Nance scored 15 for Cleveland.

Miami 103, Denver 100--Glen Rice scored 30 points and sank two key three-pointers in overtime as the Heat rallied from a seven-point deficit in the extra period to beat the Nuggets at Denver.

Miami trailed, 90-84, with two minutes left in regulation, but got a three-pointer from Rice, two free throws by Steve Smith and a layup by Rony Seikaly to go ahead, 91-90.

Denver guard Chris Jackson made the second of two free throws with 14 seconds to send it into overtime.

Portland 110, New Jersey 94--A dominating fourth quarter by the Blazers at Portland prevented the Nets from sweeping its four-game West Coast trip.

Portland, which outscored the Nets, 34-17, in the final quarter, was led by Cliff Robinson’s 25 points and Terry Porter’s 22. It snapped New Jersey’s five-game winning streak.