Lowly Nuggets Take Another Right Step

The Denver Nuggets are doing their best to avoid being the worst.

Anthony Goldwire made a three-point basket with seven seconds left as the visiting Nuggets rallied to defeat the Washington Wizards, 90-89, Tuesday night.

“Danny [Fortson] set a great pick on Juwan Howard, and I just came off shooting,” Goldwire said. “I didn’t hesitate. I was wide open. Juwan [Howard] tried to jump out at me, but it was already gone.”

Denver (8-59) needs to win two games to avoid finishing with the worst record in NBA history, the 9-73 mark set 25 years ago by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Chicago 90, Indiana 84--Held to 17 points a night earlier, Michael Jordan scored 35 points, made a big steal with 29 seconds to go and hit two clinching free throws with 11 seconds left as the Bulls outlasted the Pacers at Indianapolis.

The Bulls, who increased their lead over the Pacers to 3 1/2 games in the Central Division, won even though Indiana’s reserves outscored the Chicago bench, 32-0.

“I didn’t think we were aggressive on the offensive or defensive end. It surprised me,” Pacer Coach Larry Bird said. “It was disappointing because I knew how much this game meant for our confidence level.”

New York 100, Philadelphia 96--Allan Houston scored 31 points, Larry Johnson had 26 and the Knicks, hung on to defeat the 76ers at New York.

The Knicks ended a three-game losing streak and won for only the second time in their last eight games. They also ended the 76ers three-game winning streak.

Orlando 99, Vancouver 92--Nick Anderson had 21 points and 12 rebounds, spoiling Vancouver Coach Brian Hill’s return to Orlando.

It was Hill’s first game in Orlando since he was fired by the Magic last year. He received a standing ovation from the crowd.

Blue Edwards led the Grizzlies with 19 points off the bench.

Atlanta 117, Toronto 105--Mookie Blaylock had a triple-double and Tyrone Corbin led a devastating three-point attack with 20 points for the Hawks at Toronto.

The Hawks hit 13 of 27 shots from three-point range to hand the Raptors the seventh defeat in their last eight games.

Doug Christie paced Toronto with 30 points.

Dallas 99, Boston 93--Michael Finley scored four of his 16 points over the final 50 seconds as the Mavericks handed the Celtics’ a St. Patrick’s Day defeat at Dallas.

Rookie Chris Anstey’s career-high 26 points paced the Mavericks, who had lost two in a row and four of five.

The Celtics were led by Antoine Walker’s 23 points.

Houston 96, Milwaukee 91--Clyde Drexler had 15 points and nine assists and Matt Maloney scored 19 to lead the Rockets at Houston.

The Rockets almost blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead, but held on to hand the injury-plagued Bucks their seventh consecutive loss. Armon Gilliam scored 20 points for the Bucks.

Phoenix 107, Sacramento 80--Antonio McDyess had 19 points and Rex Chapman scored 12 of his 17 points in the third period at Phoenix.

Cliff Robinson finished with 18 points for the Suns, who gave Coach Danny Ainge a victory on his 39th birthday.

Sacramento, despite Mitch Richmond’s 19 points, lost its fifth consecutive game.

Cleveland 96, Portland 82--Vitaly Potapenko came off the bench to tie his season high with 18 points at Portland, Ore. as the Cavaliers ended a six-game road losing streak.

Arvydas Sabonis had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Portland.