McCloud Bursts on Trail Blazers

George McCloud scored 26 points and Voshon Lenard scored seven of his 14 points in overtime, and the Denver Nuggets defeated Portland, 109-106, Saturday night at Denver to end the Trail Blazers’ 12-game winning streak.

Juwan Howard had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Nuggets, who won their second in a row. Tim Hardaway made two three-point baskets in the final 22 seconds of regulation, including one with two seconds left that tied the score.

Scottie Pippen had 28 points and 10 rebounds, but missed a key free throw with eight seconds left for the Trail Blazers. Rasheed Wallace had 26 points.

A three-pointer by Lenard and a short jumper by Hardaway gave the Nuggets a 102-97 lead with 3:35 left in overtime. Bonzi Wells, who scored 21 points, made a jumper, but Howard countered with a basket that gave Denver a 104-99 lead.

Pippen made four consecutive free throws to tie the score, 104-104, with 1:01 left. Lenard made two free throws and, after Wells missed a jumper, Donnell Harvey sealed the victory by making two free throws with 6.1 seconds left.

A free throw by Howard made it 88-84 with 1:55 left.

The Nuggets erased a 91-84 deficit in the final 31 seconds to send the game into overtime.

The Trail Blazers made 15 of their first 22 shots, including four of five from three-point range, for a 36-22 lead.

*

Seattle 96, New Jersey 90--Gary Payton scored with 34.9 seconds left and finished with 21 points at Seattle, helping the SuperSonics win their fourth in a row and deal the Nets their fourth consecutive loss on the road.

Reserve Desmond Mason scored 21 points and Rashard Lewis had 20 for Seattle. Keith Van Horn scored 21 points for New Jersey.

A dunk by Van Horn gave the Nets a 90-89 lead with 1:05 left, but Seattle scored the final seven points to seal the victory.

Rashard Lewis made two free throws with 1:02 left to give the Sonics a 91-90 lead.

After a miss by the Nets, Payton grabbed the rebound and beat Jason Kidd on a baseline drive to give Seattle a 93-90 lead.

Payton added a free throw and Mason scored on a dunk off a lob from Payton for the final margin.

*

Philadelphia 112, Atlanta 91--Allen Iverson scored 28 points at Atlanta and the 76ers won for the sixth time in seven games.

The 76ers, who moved four games over .500 for the first time this season, pulled away with a 22-6 run at the start of the fourth quarter.

Iverson, the league’s scoring leader, can’t help thinking about the playoffs.

“The most important thing now is to get in,” Iverson said. “Regardless of everything else, we need to get in. Once we get in, I think everything will take care of itself.”

*

Dallas 107, Golden State 105--Michael Finley scored 28 points and Steve Nash had 22 to lift the Mavericks at Dallas.

The Mavericks won for the seventh time in eight games and picked up their league-leading 44th victory, one more than the Sacramento Kings.

“We were lucky to win,” Nash said. “We didn’t play very well and we just survived.”

Jason Richardson scored 21 points for the Warriors, who have lost 11 of 13.

*

San Antonio 100, Chicago 73--Tim Duncan had 22 points and 11 rebounds for his league-leading 50th double-double this season and the Spurs cruised at Chicago.

San Antonio held the Bulls scoreless for more than five minutes in the first quarter. The Spurs shot 53% on their way to a 27-16 lead after one quarter.

“Our experienced guys took charge,” Spur Coach Gregg Popovich said. “This kept a young team from getting confidence.”

The Spurs made 25 of 34 free throws and extended their winning streak to five games. San Antonio outrebounded the Bulls, 48-34.

*

Miami 93, Memphis 88--Alonzo Mourning scored eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and finished with six blocked shots, and the Heat handed host Memphis its ninth loss in 10 games.

Jim Jackson also scored 18 points for the Heat, who won for the fifth time in six games. Rod Strickland had 17 points and Eddie Jones had 16.