NBA ROUNDUP : Spurs Finally Solve the Mavericks Before 35,888

There’s something about David Robinson and the San Antonio Spurs that brings out the best in the Dallas Mavericks.

But Saturday night, it was the other way around.

Robinson had 36 points and 13 rebounds as the Spurs treated the largest crowd in the NBA this season to a 116-106 victory at San Antonio.

“Boy, am I glad we are done with Dallas (in the Alamodome),” Spur Coach Bob Hill said. “They present problems for us. They’ve played us awfully tough here.”

A crowd of 35,888 watched as Sean Elliott added 29 points and Vinnie Del Negro 20 for the Spurs, who beat the Mavericks for the first time in three games at the Alamodome this season.

Jamal Mashburn led the Mavericks with 29 points. Dennis Rodman, who was benched Thursday when he arrived 30 minutes after tipoff, had 14 rebounds and four points for San Antonio.

New York 92, New Jersey 91--Derek Harper’s free throw with 5.6 seconds to play in overtime snapped a tie, and Chris Morris’ 23-footer at the buzzer missed the rim as the Knicks edged the Nets at New York.

John Starks made six of 14 three-point shots and scored 25 points to lead New York, which let a 15-point lead with three minutes left in the third quarter slip away. Patrick Ewing, held to two points in the final 21 minutes, finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Derrick Coleman led New Jersey with 22 points.

Atlanta 122, Phoenix 117--Steve Smith scored a career-high 37 points, and Mookie Blaylock scored 27 as the Hawks survived a late rally to snap the Suns’ four-game road winning streak.

The Hawks saw a 106-89 lead with 7:45 remaining dwindle to 115-110 on a dunk by Charles Barkley with 2:42 left.

Barkley, ejected for his second technical with 58 seconds to play, and Kevin Johnson each scored 26 points for the Suns.

Phoenix Coach Paul Westphal also was ejected for two technicals.

Denver 110, Portland 90--Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Rodney Rogers each scored 17 points as the Nuggets defeated the cold-shooting Trail Blazers at Denver.

The Nuggets, who won for the seventh time in nine games, moved within two games of .500 and a half-game behind Sacramento in the battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Cliff Robinson, with 17 points, paced Portland, which shot only 38%.

Seattle 133, Detroit 110--Making a club-record 14 three-pointers, the SuperSonics followed up their 40-point victory over the Pistons at the Palace last week with another runaway at Tacoma, Wash.

Detlef Schrempf, the league’s top three-pointer shooter, led the Seattle barrage with four-for-four shooting from outside the circle. Schrempf and Gary Payton each finished with 25 points.

Losing their fifth in a row, the Pistons were led by Lindsey Hunter, who scored 24 points.