The Houston Rockets and the Seattle SuperSonics, who have combined for three losses in 45 games, are showing an uncanny ability to hit big shots at the end of the few close ones they've played.
The two teams with the NBA's best records both did it Tuesday night, with Houston winning 90-88 at San Antonio to improve to 22-1, and Seattle defeating Indiana 91-88, leaving the Sonics 20-2 overall and 12-0 at home.The Rockets had the toughest time, trailing 88-83 with 2:46 remaining in front of 32,631 fans at the Alamodome. Hakeem Olajuwon scored for Houston before Vernon Maxwell, who finished with 35 points, tied it with a 3-pointer with 27 seconds left and then won it at the buzzer.
Despite the presence of Olajuwon, who scored 21 points, Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich wanted Maxwell to take the last shot. Tomjanovich didn't even call a play when the Rockets were in a huddle during a timeout.
"I just told him that we were going to get the ball in his hands," Tomjanovich said. "I told him, `No play whatsoever, just go out and do it. Go get it.' And he did."
Maxwell's shot came after Houston, now sporting the NBA's longest winning streak at seven games, called timeout with 3.1 seconds remaining after Negele Knight missed a shot for San Antonio. The teams battled through 15 ties - 11 in the second half - and 16 lead changes.
With its 22-1 start, the Rockets are just one victory shy of tying the 1969-70 New York Knicks for the best record with one defeat in NBA history. Houston plays host to Denver on Thursday night.
David Robinson led San Antonio with 20 points, 13 rebounds and six steals, but the Rockets held him to 5-for-20 shooting.
SuperSonics 91, Pacers 88
Seattle got two baskets from Kendall Gill in the final 1:10 and beat Indiana despite playing without Ricky Pierce in the fourth quarter and Shawn Kemp for the game because of a knee injury.
Pierce was ejected for fighting with Byron Scott of the Pacers at the end of the third quarter. Scott was not thrown out of the game because he did not throw a punch.
Sam Perkins scored 23 points and Gary Payton 19 for Seattle, but it was Gill who scored the important points at the end.
With only one second left on the 24-second clock, Nate McMillan inbounded the ball to Gill under the basket, and he scored on a dunk for an 88-85 Seattle lead with 1:10 to go.
After Derrick McKey's free throw for the Pacers, Gill sank a 15-footer with 33 seconds left for a 90-86 Seattle lead.
Trail Blazers 100, Warriors 98
Portland rallied from a 21-point deficit to win at Golden State when Rod Strickland scooped in a layup with 0.2 seconds remaining.
The Blazers, playing without Clyde Drexler because of an ankle injury, took advantage of 2-for-15 shooting by the Warriors' Chris Mullin, who finished with seven points in his third game since coming back from thumb surgery. Mullin scored 23 points in his first outing, but was 2-for-11 in his second.
Clifford Robinson scored 22 points and Strickland had 16 points and 11 assists for Portland.
Strickland's game-winner came after Chris Webber dunked with 4.7 seconds left, tying the score.
Nuggets 121, Suns 95
Denver handed Phoenix its second loss in 11 games as Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf scored 27 points and Reggie Williams 21.
The Nuggets, who improved their home record to 8-2 after starting 2-11 on the road, hit 53 percent from the field compared to 40 percent by the Suns, who were led by A.C. Green with 20 points.
Lakers 109, Magic 102
Los Angeles fought back from a 15-2 deficit to win at Orlando, scoring 100 points for the first time in nine games and ending a streak of nine consecutive games in which they failed to outrebound an opponent.
Doug Christie scored 31 points for the Lakers, who outrebounded the Magic 49-38 and made 10 of 11 from the foul line in the last 2:14.
Vlade Divac, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds, hit a 17-footer after Donald Royal's layup closed the Magic to 104-102 with 40 seconds remaining.
Shaquille O'Neal scored 33 points for Orlando, but he wasn't able to carry the team down the stretch despite scoring five of the Magic's last seven points.
Nets 85, Knicks 81
Kenny Anderson missed 12 of his first 15 shots, then scored eight of his 14 points in the final 1:33, helping New Jersey beat New York.
Derrick Coleman had 29 points and 16 rebounds and combined with Anderson for the Nets' final 11 points as they won their third in a row at home.
No other player was in double figures for the Nets, who shot 35.4 percent and still won.
Patrick Ewing, who had 23 points and 12 rebounds, hit a 3-pointer to make it 82-80 with 14 seconds to play. But the Knicks missed several opportunities in the closing seconds.
Hornets 108, Pistons 97
Dell Curry and Hersey Hawkins each scored 20 points against Detroit, leading Charlotte to its first road victory in nine tries.
The Hornets led by as many as 26 points in the second half, taking advantage of the absence of Pistons guard Joe Dumars, who has an injured hamstring. The Pistons also lost center Olden Polynice, who injured his left knee in the fourth quarter.
Charlotte led 61-43 at the half, and extended the margin to 23 points midway through the third quarter before Detroit closed to 80-68.
The Hornets then ended any doubt by scoring the last 10 points of the quarter, six on 3-pointers by Muggsy Bogues and Hawkins.