NBA ROUNDUP : Nuggets Simply Golden This Time in New York

Coming off the Denver Nuggets’ worst loss of the season, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf knew he needed to make smart decisions against the Knicks at New York.

So he took the open shots when he had them--including the biggest one of the game.

“It’s always tough to win here,” Abdul-Rauf said after scoring 25 points in Denver’s 103-94 victory Thursday night. “We really wanted this win, especially after the way we played in Indiana. To come out the way we did really shows our character.”

Abdul-Rauf, who was four for 13 in the 125-92 loss at Indiana, scored nine of the Nuggets’ last 13 points, including a three-point basket to put the game away.

The victory was the Nuggets’ first at Madison Square Garden since March 31, 1990, and snapped the Knicks’ three-game winning streak.

Chicago 127, Atlanta 108--Scottie Pippen scored 30 points, and had eight rebounds and eight assists in the Bulls’ rout of the Hawks at Atlanta. It was the eighth victory in a row for Chicago and, at 18-2, its best start in franchise history.

Michael Jordan added 22 points for the Bulls, who never trailed after Pippen broke a 15-15 tie on an acrobatic dunk off Ron Harper’s pass midway through the opening period.

San Antonio 126, Dallas 111--David Robinson scored 21 first-half points, then Avery Johnson and Sean Elliott balanced the offense in the second half, carrying the Spurs past the Mavericks at Dallas.

Robinson remained the overwhelming force with 33 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, but the Spurs didn’t get going until Elliott started scoring his 27 points and Johnson his 21.

Indiana 102, Toronto 100--Rik Smits made a 20-foot jumper with 0.5 seconds left to boost the Pacers over the Raptors at Toronto.

The winning shot by Smits, who finished with 28 points, came after Toronto had rallied to tie the score at 100 on Damon Stoudamire’s two free throws.

Portland 116, Charlotte 109--Clifford Robinson scored 16 of his 28 points in a third-quarter comeback, including three of four three-point shooting, and the Trail Blazers went on to a victory over the Hornets at Portland.

Portland’s Chris Dudley had a season-high 19 rebounds, two short of his career best, as the Blazers ruled the boards, 54-37.

Rod Strickland had 21 points and a season-high 14 assists, even though he sat out all but 2 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter.