NBA ROUNDUP : Price Right for Cavaliers as Streak Reaches Nine

There’s no telling how many points Mark Price might have scored if Monday’s game at Cleveland had been close.

Price made a team-record seven three-point shots and scored 36 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Boston Celtics, 123-102, for their ninth consecutive victory.

The Cavaliers’ streak is two short of the franchise record of 11 set last February and March.

Playing only 27 minutes, and not at all in the fourth quarter, Price made all but two of his nine three-point shots and converted a rare four-point play.

“You think, ‘Maybe I could get 50 today,’ but I’m not like that,” he said. “We have guys who’ve worked hard all year, and this was their chance to get significant minutes. That’s more important to me than saying, ‘Coach, I’d like to stay in and get a few more shots.’ ”

Orlando 128, Washington 121--Nick Anderson scored a season-high 35 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter and four in overtime, to lead the Magic at Landover, Md.

Anfernee Hardaway scored 29 and Shaquille O’Neal had 28 for the Magic before fouling out with 1:04 to play in regulation.

Rookie Juwan Howard had a career-high 24 points and 14 rebounds for the Bullets, who played without injured starters Chris Webber, Don MacLean, Rex Chapman and Kevin Duckworth.

Phoenix 139, Dallas 113--Kevin Johnson scored 20 points at Phoenix as the Suns extended their home winning streak to 25 games over two seasons.

Jim Jackson of Dallas, the NBA’s No. 2 scorer, matched his average with 28 points, but the Mavericks couldn’t recover after falling behind, 94-70, on Johnson’s conversion of the second technical on Maverick Coach Dick Motta, who was ejected with 4:09 to play in the third quarter.

Houston 101, Miami 88--Mario Elie scored the Rockets’ first 11 points of the fourth quarter to propel Houston at Miami.

Hakeem Olajuwon had 24 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocked shots and Elie finished with 19 points. Carl Herrera scored 15 points on seven-of-eight shooting.

For Miami, Glen Rice, who scored 37 and 30 points in his last two games on 23-of-44 shooting, finished with 20 points, making eight of 22 shots.

Milwaukee 101, New Jersey 97--Vin Baker scored 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and Glenn Robinson finished with 20 to lead the Bucks at Milwaukee.

Seattle 123, Sacramento 103--Reserve Sam Perkins scored a season-high 26 points and Detlef Schrempf added 21 to lead the SuperSonics at Tacoma, Wash.

Philadelphia 101, Portland 94--Clarence Weatherspoon scored 21 of his 23 points in the second half to lead the 76ers at Portland.

NBA Note

Doc Rivers, 33, a 12-year veteran guard waived this month by the New York Knicks, signed with the San Antonio Spurs.