NBA ROUNDUP : With Hot Start, New Heat Wave Now In Miami

Kevin Willis scored 18 points as the Miami Heat defeated undermanned New Jersey, 106-80, Friday night at Miami and improved to 3-0 for the first time in the franchise’s eight-year history.

Alonzo Mourning, acquired by the Heat in a six-man deal one week ago, and Bimbo Coles each scored 17 points.

It was also the first time the Heat showed some offensive firepower under Coach Pat Riley after winning two games without scoring more than 90 points.

The Nets, coming off a 130-122 triple-overtime loss to Orlando on Wednesday, came out flat against the Heat. They played without point guard Kenny Anderson, out because of a groin injury, and are still without forward Derrick Coleman, sidelined because of an irregular heartbeat.

Sacramento 119, Indiana 95--The Kings set a franchise record with five season-opening victories and ended a nine-game losing streak at Indianapolis.

Replacement referees Anthony Jordan and Mike Lauerman called 70 personal fouls, and the two teams combined to shoot 99 free throws.

Sacramento’s Michael Smith and Indiana’s Dale Davis were ejected in the third period after they exchanged punches.

Phoenix 112, Toronto 108--The Suns’ Charles Barkley made two free throws with 44 seconds left then blocked Oliver Miller’s layup attempt at Toronto.

Barkley’s free throws gave the Suns a 105-100 edge. His block on Miller came with 34 seconds remaining, and the Raptors didn’t come closer than three points after that.

Tracy Murray led Toronto with a career-high 23 points, and top draft choice Damon Stoudamire had 22. Willie Anderson added 15 for the expansion Raptors, who have lost four in a row.

Philadelphia 104, Charlotte 90--Shawn Bradley scored 23 points, tied a career high with 22 rebounds and blocked five shots at Philadelphia.

Jerry Stackhouse had 21 points and Vernon Maxwell 19 points and 13 assists for the 76ers, who went over the 100-point mark for the fourth consecutive time.

New York 110, Washington 109--When the final buzzer sounded at Landover, Md., it was the same old result--Knicks over Bullets.

New York’s 14th consecutive victory against Washington, however, was anything but typical. Derek Harper made a three-point basket with 2.2 seconds left, capping an improbable comeback that enabled the Knicks to escape.

Orlando 110, Boston 94--Dennis Scott scored 30 points, 17 in the third quarter, and Anfernee Hardaway added 21 at Boston.

Scott made three three-point baskets in the third quarter as Orlando built a 77-67 lead going to the fourth. Rick Fox led Boston with 19 points.

San Antonio 104, Milwaukee 90--Sean Elliott had 22 points at San Antonio as the Spurs overcame a slow start with a big third quarter.

The Spurs, who trailed, 50-45, at halftime, outscored the Bucks, 36-19, in the period to take an 80-69 lead heading into the fourth quarter. San Antonio capped the quarter with a 12-2 run.

David Robinson had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs. Avery Johnson had 17 points and nine assists.

Detroit 100, Cleveland 80--The Pistons found themselves in an unfamiliar position late in their game with the Cavaliers at Auburn Hills, Mich.--leading comfortably.

“Joe [Dumars] kept saying on the bench that it had been a long time since we’d had a game like this,” said Grant Hill, who led the Pistons with 28 points and 15 rebounds.

The Pistons won their second in a row, keeping Cleveland winless at 0-5. It’s the worst start for the Cavaliers since an 0-9 start in 1984-85.

Portland 108, Minnesota 102--Rod Strickland led a balanced attack with 24 points as the Trail Blazers improved to 13-0 in Minneapolis.

The Trail Blazers have won 11 in a row overall against the Timberwolves.

Tom Gugliotta had 33 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Timberwolves, who lost center Christian Laettner with an ankle injury with 6:56 to play.

Utah 109, Denver 86--Karl Malone scored 16 of his 19 points in the first half and the Jazz breezed past the winless Nuggets at Salt Lake City. John Stockton added 17 points as Utah won its fourth game in five starts.

NBA Notes

Vancouver Grizzly guard Gerald Wilkins underwent surgery to remove a fragmented herniated disk from his lower back and is expected to be sidelined at least eight weeks. . . . Washington Bullet guard Mark Price underwent successful surgery on his left foot but will be sidelined until mid-February. . . . Cleveland’s Tyrone Hill, injured in a hit-and-run accident while driving to a game earlier this week, sustained a bruise on his spinal cord, the team announced. . . . The Orlando Magic signed free-agent forward Joe Wolf and put forward Jeff Turner on the injured list because of swelling in his left knee. . . . Marshall Glickman resigned as president of Trail Blazers Inc. and the Oregon Arena Corp., the business arm of the Portland Trail Blazers.