NBA ROUNDUP : Johnson Is Star at End of Suns’ Sequel in Dallas

Less than 24 hours after defeating the Dallas Mavericks by 26 points, the Phoenix Suns needed some last-second heroics from Kevin Johnson to escape with a 119-118 decision over the Mavericks on Tuesday night at Dallas.

Johnson scored 28 points, including a 16-foot baseline jumper with 3.7 seconds to play for the go-ahead points as the Suns rallied from a five-point deficit with less than a minute to play.

The Mavericks attempted to double-team Johnson in the corner, but both Jason Kidd and Roy Tarpley backed away momentarily, giving Johnson an open look at the basket.

“They’d been double-teaming in that situation all night and for a second they had to regroup,” said Johnson, who added 11 assists to raise his career total to 5,000. “That’s when I shot the shot. I got a great look at it.”

Dallas’ Jim Jackson had a shot at the victory but his runner in the lane at the buzzer rimmed out.

Jackson scored 31 points and Jamal Mashburn added 30 as the Mavericks showed considerable improvement from their performance at Phoenix on Monday night, when they lost, 139-113.

“It’s tough to beat a team back-to-back,” said Charles Barkley of the Suns, who had 22 points and 16 rebounds. “We’re a better team than they are but it’s tough to pull it off on consecutive nights.”

Orlando 103, Miami 83--Shaquille O’Neal had 28 points and 11 rebounds at Orlando as the Magic remained unbeaten at home.

The Magic improved to 12-0 at Orlando Arena after their third consecutive blowout victory over the Heat this season.

Anfernee Hardaway scored 19 points and had seven assists for the Magic, which blew the game open by making five three-point shots during a 20-2 run in the fourth quarter.

San Antonio 119, Charlotte 108--David Robinson scored 16 of his 30 points in the third quarter and Chuck Person made five three-point shots at San Antonio to help the Spurs to their seventh consecutive victory.

Playing on two sore ankles, Robinson made 10 of 17 shots, benefiting from the absence of Hornet center Alonzo Mourning, who suffered a foot injury in the second quarter and didn’t return.

New York 99, New Jersey 91--The worst losing streak of Pat Riley’s coaching career ended at five games as John Starks scored 22 points to lead the Knicks at East Rutherford, N.J.

Starks, who has averaged only 10.6 points in his last 17 games and made only 32% of his shots, enjoyed his best game since scoring 35 points on Nov. 14.

Milwaukee 98, Detroit 88--Marty Conlon scored 11 of his 13 points in the final 14 minutes to help the Bucks hold off the Pistons at Auburn Hills, Mich., and end a 10-game road losing streak.

The Pistons have lost eight of their last nine games.

Joe Dumars, who failed to score in the first half, scored 11 points to lead a 14-2 Piston surge that pulled them to 68-59 late in the third quarter. Detroit got within nine points twice in the last eight minutes, but never any closer.

Vin Baker led the Bucks with 22 points and Glenn Robinson had 15. Terry Mills paced the Pistons with 23 points and 11 rebounds and Dumars had 21 points.

Indiana 95, Denver 91--Rik Smits scored a season-high 33 points and took 14 rebounds to lead the Pacers at Denver.

The Pacers, winners of nine of their last 11 games against the Nuggets, scored only five points in the final three minutes. It was enough, though, as Denver managed only six free throws and a three-point basket by Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, who scored 23 points.

Sacramento 102, Portland 101--Spud Webb’s short jump shot with 2.3 seconds to play gave the Kings the victory at Sacramento.

King guard Mitch Richmond scored 30 points before fouling out with 48.5 seconds left. Olden Polynice added 21 points and nine rebounds and Lionel Simmons had 18 points and 19 rebounds.

Cliff Robinson, who missed a baseline jumper at the buzzer, had given Portland a 101-100 lead with 12.1 seconds remaining.

Houston 105, Atlanta 93--Hakeem Olajuwon had 35 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Rockets at Houston.

The loss kept Lenny Wilkens one victory shy of tying Red Auerbach’s NBA all-time coaching record of 938 victories.

NBA Notes

New York Knick forward Charles Oakley had a dislocated toe on his right foot surgically repaired in a procedure used mainly on older people, doctors said. Norman Scott, the Knicks’ team physician, said the operation was successful and that Oakley should be able to play in eight weeks.