Seattle Scores in Time to Win

The SuperSonics went more than five minutes at the end of the game without a basket Sunday, but used two free throws by Gary Payton and one by Detlef Schrempf in the final minute to defeat the Phoenix Suns, 89-87, at Seattle.

“We didn’t deserve to win this one,” said SuperSonic Coach George Karl. “Luck was on our side. We were more lucky than good.”

The win gave Seattle (44-13), which has the best record in the NBA, a 4 1/2-game lead over the Lakers in the Pacific Division. The third-place Suns dropped six games back.

Payton, who put Seattle ahead, 88-84, with two free throws with 28.6 seconds left, led Seattle with 22 points.

Antonio McDyess had 24 points for the Suns.

Miami 85, New Jersey 84--Voshon Lenard scored 27 points, two on free throws with 0.9 seconds left, to lift the Heat to a victory at Miami.

P.J Brown added 20 points and 11 rebounds as Miami extended its season-long winning streak to 10 and Heat Coach Pat Riley won his 900th game, fifth most in NBA history.

Keith Van Horn led New Jersey with 22 points.

Boston 102, Portland 101--One game after absorbing the second-worst loss in NBA history, the Trail Blazers came back from a 25-point deficit only to lose at Boston.

After trailing, 85-60, Portland tied it at 101 on Walt Williams’ three-point shot with 15 seconds left.

The Celtics opted not to call a timeout, and Rasheed Wallace reached in to foul Antoine Walker.

Walker made the second of two free throws with 5.4 seconds left.

Indiana 90, Denver 63--Rik Smits scored 23 points and Mark Jackson had 12 assists as the Pacers won at Indianapolis.

It was the 11th consecutive loss for the Nuggets, the NBA’s worst team. They were held to nine points in the third quarter.

The final score, which came on a three-point basket by Fred Hoiberg with 53 seconds to go, was the largest margin of the game.

Reggie Miller finished with 11 points, and Chris Mullin had nine points and 10 rebounds and Mark Jackson eight points.

Denver was led by rookie Danny Fortson with 15 points.

Atlanta 101, Vancouver 76--Mookie Blaylock scored 20 points as the Hawks rolled past the Grizzlies at Vancouver, Canada.

Blaylock went four for five from the three-point line, passed out nine assists and grabbed five rebounds as the Hawks won for the fourth time in five games.

Alan Henderson scored 20 points for the Hawks. Bryant Reeves and Pete Chilcutt each had 16 points for Minnesota.

Utah 106, Houston 100--Karl Malone scored 21 points and gave the Jazz the lead for good on a basket with 1:38 left as Utah overcame a slow start to defeat the Rockets at Houston for its third consecutive road victory.

Malone’s 16-footer put Utah ahead, 98-97, and ignited a 9-0 run after Hakeem Olajuwon had given the Rockets the lead with a five-footer with 2:36 left.

Minnesota 115, Detroit 113--Kevin Garnett’s corner jump shot with 1.2 seconds left in the second overtime gave the Timberwolves a victory at Minneapolis.

Garnett had 26 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and Stephon Marbury had 11 assists for the Timberwolves, who ended a three-game losing streak.

Joe Dumars led the Pistons with a season-high 28 points, but Detroit lost for the eighth time in its last nine road games. Brian Williams had 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Cleveland 102, Golden State 82--Shawn Kemp scored 28 points, including 14 in the third quarter, at Cleveland, as the Cavaliers handed the Warriors their third consecutive blowout loss.

Kemp was 10 of 16 from the field, was perfect on eight free throws and grabbed 12 rebounds. Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Jim Jackson scored 18 points and Clarence Weatherspoon had 17 for the Warriors, who lost for the third time in four days.