NBA ROUNDUP : Wilkins, Defense Spark Hawks

Dominique Wilkins scored 38 points as the surging Atlanta Hawks climbed three games above .500 for the first time this season with a 106-96 victory Thursday night at Houston.

Mookie Blaylock added 22 points, including four three-pointers, and had 10 assists to help the Hawks to their ninth victory in 10 games and seventh in a row at home.

Hakeem Olajuwon led the Rockets, losers for the third time in four games, with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Houston had won 15 in a row before cooling off.

“It might have been our best defensive effort of the season,” Hawk Coach Bob Weiss said. “We were all over them. We forced a lot of turnovers.”

The Rockets shot only 45% from the floor and had 14 turnovers, leading to 24 Atlanta points.

“Defense was the key,” Wilkins said. “It’s been a long time since we played one like this.”

Denver 99, Golden State 88--Dikembe Mutombo had 21 points, 16 rebounds and 10 blocked shots at Denver, lifting the Nuggets over the Warriors.

The Nuggets led, 69-67, when Coach Dan Issel was ejected with two technical fouls for arguing a foul call against Mutombo with 5:25 to play in the third period.

Latrell Sprewell and Victor Alexander each made two free throws after the technicals, giving the Warriors a 71-69 lead. Denver then scored six of the next eight points.

Utah 104, New York Knicks 87--Karl Malone had 20 points and 10 rebounds and John Stockton 19 points and 10 assists at Salt Lake City as Utah rebuffed a fourth-quarter rally.

It was the second consecutive loss after nine consecutive victories for the Knicks, playing their first game after Tuesday night’s fight at Phoenix. Guards Doc Rivers and Greg Anthony were suspended for their part in the fracas and did not play against the Jazz.

Indiana 120, Seattle 117--Vern Fleming made two free throws with 10 seconds left and Pooh Richardson scored a season-high 30 points at Seattle to give the Pacers their second consecutive road victory.

With an earlier victory over the Phoenix Suns, Indiana is 2-1 on its five-game trip. Eddie Johnson had 29 points for Seattle, which has lost two consecutive games.

Portland 113, Sacramento 111--Cliff Robinson’s short bank shot with 2.5 seconds to play in overtime gave him 26 points and Rod Strickland added 23 for the Trail Blazers in their 10th consecutive victory over the Kings, this one in overtime at Sacramento.

Walt Williams had 35 points and Wayman Tisdale added 22 for the Kings, who suffered their fourth loss in five games.