NBA ROUNDUP : Heat Stays Hot, Wins 7th in Row

It doesn’t get any better for the Miami Heat.

Well, maybe it can get another game better. Or two. Or three.

The Heat established its first seven-game winning streak with a 120-83 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night in Miami that was remarkable for the 37-point advantage.

That takes the Clippers out of the Miami record book. The Heat’s biggest victory had been by 35 points against them in 1990.

Behind Glen Rice’s 32 points, the victory also moved the Heat seven games over .500 for the first time.

“This is as fun as it can possibly be,” said Miami center Rony Seikaly, who scored 22 points. “It hasn’t been this fun since my college days.”

The old-timers in the building could tell Seikaly to enjoy it while it lasts. The loss was Philadelphia’s 12th in a row.

“This is what happens when a team that’s really hot plays someone that’s struggling like us,” Clarence Weatherspoon said. “I think they’re playing with a lot of fire.”

Seikaly and Rice combined for 27 points in the first half as Miami built a 60-41 lead.

“This is a great feeling,” Rice said. “I’ve been telling people all year that we’ve got the talent. What’s been happening is we’re playing to our level.

“The sky is the limit for us.”

Golden State 123, Charlotte 112--Latrell Sprewell missed 13 of his first 15 shots, then led the Warriors’ decisive third quarter with 14 points at Oakland, where they handed the Hornets their 16th loss in 17 games.

Golden State led, 80-75, and then Sprewell scored 12 points in a 16-2 run to close the third quarter.

Atlanta 90, Indiana 88--Danny Manning drove from midcourt for the winning layup with 7.3 seconds to play at Atlanta, then blocked a shot by Byron Scott to give the Hawks their sixth consecutive victory.

The Pacers, who had won 14 of their previous 16 games, led, 86-83, with 2:08 left before a layup by Kevin Willis and Mookie Blaylock’s three-pointer put the Hawks ahead, 88-86.

Dale Davis tied it with a dunk for Indiana before Craig Ehlo inbounded to Manning at midcourt. He drove to the basket, giving the Hawks a 4-0 record since he joined the team in a trade for Dominique Wilkins.

Utah 103, Dallas 90--Karl Malone had 34 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Jazz extend its season-best winning streak to eight games at Dallas.

Jamal Mashburn had 22 points and Jim Jackson 20 for the Mavericks, who lost their fourth in a row.

Milwaukee 117, Detroit 108--Jon Barry scored two baskets in a 6-0 run that gave the Bucks the lead for good in the fourth quarter, and Eric Murdock had 28 points at Milwaukee.

Joe Dumars had 42 points for the Pistons.

Rookie Vin Baker had 24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, who are four games ahead of the last-place Pistons in the Central Division.

Seattle 114, Sacramento 98--Shawn Kemp had 25 points and 14 rebounds and sparked a third-quarter rally at Seattle that lifted the SuperSonics to their fourth victory in a row.

Seattle is 23-3 at home.

Kemp didn’t start because of a sore right elbow, but he was ready in the third quarter, scoring 14 points as Seattle outscored Sacramento, 34-19.