NBA ROUNDUP : Nets’ 23-Point Surge Clinches Playoff Spot

Derrick Coleman’s basket with 3.2 seconds to play capped New Jersey’s comeback from a 23-point deficit in the last 8 1/2 minutes Saturday night, giving the Nets a 104-103 victory over Washington at Landover, Md.

The Nets ended a seven-game losing streak and, coupled with Detroit’s loss to New York, clinched a playoff berth.

“Very bizarre,” Net Coach Chuck Daly said. “We’ve lost three at home the same way. All of a sudden we get down big, I come back with a different team, and we play with great passion.”

The Nets had lost three of their last four games in the final 3.5 seconds, including two at the buzzer.

Trailing, 95-72, with 8:29 remaining, the Nets went on a 23-7 run, eventually tying the score, 102-102, on two free throws by Coleman with 15.1 seconds remaining.

Rex Chapman made one of two foul shots with 7.5 seconds left to give the Bullets a 103-102 lead. Coleman then drove the lane and made a short jumper to give the Nets the lead for good.

New York 95, Detroit 85--Charles Smith and John Starks led New York on a 22-8 third-quarter run after teammate Patrick Ewing left the game in foul trouble, and the Knicks went on to beat the Pistons at New York.

With their 18th consecutive victory at home, the Knicks took a half-game lead over Chicago in the race for first place in the Eastern Conference.

The ninth-place Pistons, who never led, fell 1 1/2 games behind Indiana in the battle for the conference’s final playoff berth.

Sacramento 108, Dallas 107--Lionel Simmons made a leaning one-hand shot from 14 feet with 2.7 seconds to play, giving the Kings an overtime victory at Dallas.

Dallas’ Derek Harper had sent the game into overtime tied, 100-100, when he made an off-balance three-point shot from the top of the circle with 2.5 seconds to play in regulation. He missed a long jumper at the buzzer in overtime.

The Mavericks, seeking their 10th victory of the season, are tied with the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, who set an NBA record for futility in a season by winning only nine games.

Houston 86, Seattle 81--Hakeem Olajuwon scored 21 points and Vernon Maxwell added 19 as the Rockets played solid defense at Seattle to earn their ninth consecutive victory and franchise-record 53rd.

Olajuwon also pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked eight shots.

The Rockets (53-25) beat the SuperSonics for the first time in four games this season and took over second place in the Western Conference from Seattle (52-26).

Utah 110, Phoenix 101--Karl Malone had 28 points, including two foul shots with 1:16 left, to lift the Jazz over the Suns at Salt Lake City.

Malone’s free throws gave the Jazz a 100-95 lead, and after Tom Chambers made one of two foul shots for the Suns, Tyrone Corbin sealed the victory with an 18-foot jumper that put Utah in front, 102-97, with 28 seconds remaining.

Charlotte 110, Atlanta 107--Larry Johnson broke a tie with a driving layup with 32 seconds to play, and Muggsy Bogues made four free throws in the last 13 seconds at Atlanta.

The Hawks’ Dominique Wilkins scored 41 points--the eighth time he has scored more than 40 this season--but he missed a driving layup that would have tied the score with 18 seconds to play.

Charlotte’s sixth victory in nine games moved the Hornets ahead of the Hawks into the sixth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Boston 103, Miami 100--Xavier McDaniel’s tip-in with 30 seconds to play put the Celtics ahead to stay, pushing the Heat to the brink of elimination from the playoff race at Miami.

Miami’s Steve Smith, Glen Rice, Harold Miner and Rony Seikaly each missed a shot in the final 20 seconds.

The Heat will be mathematically eliminated if Indiana wins today at Milwaukee.