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NBA ROUNDUP : Cavaliers Find Improbable Way to Win

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From Associated Press

The New Jersey Nets took losing to the extremes of the clock Wednesday night in dropping a 95-88 decision to the Cleveland Cavaliers in double overtime at East Rutherford, N.J.

Cleveland’s Tyrone Hill made a dunk off an inbounds play with three-tenths of a second left in the first overtime to tie the score, and the Cavaliers outscored the Nets in the second, 11-4, to run their winning streak to four games.

“It seemed like this was meant to be,” said Chris Mills, who made the pass on the inbounds play. “Whenever you play two overtimes and hold a team to less than 90 points, you deserve to win.”

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Still, the Cavaliers had to steal this one.

The Nets were walking off the court at the end of the first overtime, thinking they had an 84-82 victory, when the officials put three-tenths of a second back on the clock after a shot by Hill went out of bounds off a Net.

Cavalier Coach Mike Fratello drew up a new play on the sideline during the subsequent timeout. The Cavaliers ran an inbounds play from the right sideline, and Hill dunked a pass from Mills in one motion to tie the score and leave the Nets shaking their heads.

John Williams led the Cavaliers with 20 points.

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Orlando 120, Denver 96--Shaquille O’Neal scored 24 points to help the Magic remain unbeaten at home.

O’Neal scored six points to start a 22-6 run that gave the Magic an 89-56 lead with a little more than a minute to play in the third quarter of a game it dominated from the start.

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Phoenix 111, Seattle 93--Charles Barkley scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Suns at Phoenix.

For the second time in as many games against the SuperSonics, the Suns made a franchise-high 12 three-point shots, all but three in the first half.

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Utah 103, Minnesota 95--Karl Malone scored 31 points and the Jazz held the Timberwolves to eight baskets over the final 16:46 at Minneapolis for its fifth consecutive road victory.

The Timberwolves led, 63-59, on a jump shot by Chris Smith with 4:46 to play before David Benoit scored seven points in an 11-0 Jazz run. Minnesota made only seven shots the rest of the way to remain winless in 10 home games.

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Milwaukee 99, Philadelphia 96--Rookie Glenn Robinson scored a season-high 32 points and the Bucks withstood a late rally by the 76ers at Milwaukee.

Willie Burton, who scored a career-high 53 points against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night at Philadelphia, led the 76ers with 28 points.

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Charlotte 106, Detroit 93--Muggsy Bogues scored 18 points at Auburn Hills, Mich., as the Hornets handed the Pistons their fifth consecutive loss.

Bogues had his second big game against the Pistons this season. In the first meeting between the two teams, Bogues had 22 points and 13 assists.

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San Antonio 122, Boston 110--David Robinson scored 32 points, 12 in the fourth quarter before fouling out, to lead the Spurs at San Antonio.

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Indiana 81, Atlanta 79--The Pacers led by as many as seven points in the fourth quarter but could not pull away at Indianapolis.

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