Robinson Breaks Bone in Left Foot, Will Miss About Six Weeks

San Antonio lost the game, but more importantly the Spurs lost David Robinson again.

Robinson broke a bone in his left foot in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s 90-79 loss to Miami at San Antonio. Robinson, who sat out the first 18 games of the season because of back problems, will have surgery this week and will be out about six weeks.

“Seems like we’ve been snake bit all season,” said Robinson, who came into the dressing room on crutches. “I just came down on it and started to get into defensive position, and could feel something pull in it.

“I knew it was hurt right away. I was just praying that it wasn’t broken.”

Miami center Alonzo Mourning, who led the Heat with 32 points, said Robinson’s injury with 10 1/2 minutes left in the game “looked like a freak accident to me.”

“It just goes to show you how physical this game is,” Mourning said. “How long has he been in the league? Seven years? It takes its toll. I know he’s a great physical specimen and he works out hard, but every year there are bigger and stronger guys pushing on you.”

San Antonio, which was 3-15 without Robinson at the start of the season, had its three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 6-18.

Miami improved to 20-7 with its first victory ever in San Antonio.

Milwaukee 81, Houston 76--Sherman Douglas scored 11 of his 19 points in the third quarter at Houston as the Bucks handed the Rockets their fourth loss in a row.

The Bucks overcame a 37-point performance by Hakeem Olajuwon, who led a second-half Rocket rally that fell short.

Charles Barkley sat out the final game of his two-game suspension for an altercation with referee Jack Nies last Thursday.

Chicago 113, New Jersey 81--Michael Jordan scored 14 of his 24 points in the second quarter and Scottie Pippen added 20 for the Bulls, who have won seven consecutive games since their only two-game losing streak of the season.

Dennis Rodman, who had 17 rebounds for the Bulls, is averaging 18 in five games since returning from a team-imposed two-game suspension for criticizing the NBA and its referees.

New York 82, Atlanta 76--Chris Childs and John Starks silenced Atlanta’s guards down the stretch as the Knicks held the Hawks without a basket for almost seven minutes in the fourth quarter at New York.

Charles Oakley had a season-high 19 rebounds for the Knicks, who won for the 10th time in 11 games. Allan Houston scored 16 points for New York and Patrick Ewing and Childs each had 15.

Minnesota 107, Utah 98--Stephon Marbury outplayed John Stockton, scoring a career-high 33 points, to lead the Timberwolves to a win at home. Marbury made 11 of 17 shots from the field and had eight assists as the Timberwolves got their second consecutive home-court victory over a Western Conference power. The Wolves beat the Lakers on Saturday.

Terry Porter scored a season-high 20 points as the Timberwolves shot 54% from the field, only the third team to reach 50% against the Jazz this season.

The Jazz lost for the fourth time in seven games and ended its five-game trip with a 2-3 record.

Orlando 89, Cleveland 84--Rony Seikaly scored a season-high 33 points at Orlando to help the Magic stop a five-game losing streak.

Orlando atoned for an 84-57 loss on Dec. 4 in which the Magic tied the NBA record for fewest points in a game during the shot-clock era.

Horace Grant had his most productive game in nearly a month for the Magic, scoring 20 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

Denver 112, Phoenix 109--Dale Ellis made an 18-foot jump shot and a three-point basket late in overtime to give the Nuggets a victory at Denver.

Antonio McDyess, Mark Jackson and Bryant Stith each made two free throws in the final 27 seconds to help the Nuggets overcome a late barrage of three-point shots by Phoenix.

Bryant Stith finished with 36 points--one off his career high--and Ellis had 24 and McDyess 22 for the Nuggets.

Washington 106, Portland 84--Juwan Howard made 12 of 13 shots in the first half as the Bullets built a big lead and cruised to a victory at Portland.