NBA ROUNDUP : Skiles Rescues Bullets at Boston

Calbert Cheaney twice kept Washington alive with key shots and Scott Skiles won it for the Bullets on a jumper with 2.3 seconds left in a 125-124 double-overtime victory Wednesday night over the Celtics at Boston.

Juwan Howard, who had 26 points, got the ball inside and passed it out to Skiles, who made a short leaner for the game-winner.

“Coach called it for Juwan to go straight to the basket,” said Skiles, who had 16 points and 10 assists. “But Sherman (Douglas) turned his head just a little bit and Juwan found me.”

Dominique Wilkins then missed a shot on which he thought he was fouled at the final buzzer.

Cheaney finished with 28 points for the Bullets.

Minnesota 98, Sacramento 87--Sean Rooks scored a season-high 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Timberwolves handed the Kings their sixth consecutive loss at Sacramento.

Detroit 92, Indiana 79--Grant Hill scored 24 points and Allan Houston added 23 in the Pistons’ ninth victory in 10 games, at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Indiana, which had won seven in a row, also lost forward Dale Davis to a dislocated right shoulder.

Utah 98, Golden State 85--Karl Malone scored 31 points in the Jazz’s victory over the bumbling Warriors, who were booed through dismal second and third quarters while scoring only a combined 25 points at Oakland.

Chicago 111, Miami 85--Scottie Pippen had 27 points and 10 rebounds and the Bulls closed the first half with an 18-1 run in routing the Heat.

NBA Notes

Steve George, the fan punched in the face by Houston’s Vernon Maxwell, called a news conference in Portland, Ore., to vehemently deny the Rocket guard’s allegations that racial comments and derogatory remarks about the player’s stillborn daughter precipitated the Feb. 6 attack. George’s attorney, Richard Maizels, said he expected to file a lawsuit soon against Maxwell and the Rockets and the Multnomah County district attorney’s office is continuing an investigation into whether to charge Maxwell with assault.

Golden State Warrior center Rony Seikaly needs surgery to pare down a bone pinching a right ankle tendon and will be lost for the season if it is performed. Seikaly was planning to get a second opinion from a doctor in Miami, where he played for the Heat before being tradedto Golden State for Billy Owens in November.

Houston Rocket forward Robert Horry, off the injured list less than a week, is expected to miss up to two more weeks because of an aggravated back problem.