NBA ROUNDUP : Douglas’ Late Shot Lifts Celtics, 106-105

Sherman Douglas made an off-balance 15-foot shot with three-tenths of a second to play Thursday night, lifting the Boston Celtics to a 106-105 victory over the New Jersey Nets at East Rutherford, N.J.

The Nets, who have lost their last seven games, missed seven of 10 free throws down the stretch.

The Celtics’ sweep of the four-game season series with the Nets gave them a 2 1/2-game lead over New Jersey in the race for the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, which includes a home-court advantage during the first round of the playoffs.

The ending was wild, with four lead changes during the final 45.3 seconds.

Derrick Coleman, who had 33 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists, gave New Jersey a 105-104 lead by making a jumper in the lane with 5.5 seconds to play after missing a potential game-tying free throw.

Boston called time out and Douglas took the inbounds pass. He drove to his right around Rumeal Robinson and pulled up for his winning shot.

“It was just a great play by Sherman,� Celtic Coach Chris Ford said. “We wanted to get penetration off the dribble. It was one-on-one and he made a nice quick stop. He really came through.�

Said Douglas, who had 19 points and 11 assists: “Coach just told me to create something for me or Reggie Lewis in the corner. Rumeal did a good job of bodying me, and once I saw I couldn’t get to the basket, I pulled up.�

Lewis led Boston with 29 points. Robinson added 26 for New Jersey.

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Utah 122, Portland 117--Karl Malone scored six of his 38 points during overtime and the Jazz made 11 of 12 free throws during the extra period to win at Salt Lake City.

The Jazz, who ended the Trail Blazers’ five-game winning streak, made seven of eight free throws during the final 40.8 seconds.

Cliff Robinson led Portland with 40 points, making 12 of 13 free throws. Terry Porter added 21 points for the Trail Blazers.

Jeff Malone scored 24 points for Utah, Karl Malone grabbed 11 rebounds and John Stockton had 12 assists.

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Cleveland 108, Milwaukee 93--Danny Ferry scored a season-high 18 points at Milwaukee to help the Cavaliers extend their winning streak to six games.

The Cavaliers used a 24-7 third-quarter run to pull away.

Gerald Wilkins had seven points and John Williams six during the spurt that built a 75-53 lead with 2:52 to play in the quarter. The Cavaliers, beating the Bucks for the fourth time in five meetings, outscored Milwaukee, 37-19, during the third quarter to open an 84-59 lead.

Mike Sanders added 16 for Cleveland on a night when leading scorers Brad Daugherty and Mark Price combined for only 12 points.

Daugherty, averaging 20.5, had eight points but pulled down 12 rebounds, and Price, averaging 18.7, scored four.

Milwaukee, headed for the NBA lottery for the second consecutive year, has lost its last three games.

Derek Strong led the Bucks with 13 points.

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Washington 110, Miami 92--Rex Chapman scored 14 of his 22 points during the fourth quarter at Landover, Md., as the Bullets all but ended the Heat’s slim playoff hopes.

Bullet rookie Tom Gugliotta made all seven of his shots during the second half and finished with 22 points, helping Washington end a five-game losing streak with its third victory in four games against the Heat.

Miami’s record fell to 35-42; Detroit and Indiana, both 38-38, are tied in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Glen Rice scored 23 points and Steve Smith had 22 for the Heat, who are 10-29 on the road.

The Bullets led, 83-80, before Gugliotta’s jumper and Chapman’s three-point shot made it 88-80. After a basket by Smith, Chapman made another three-pointer to up the margin to nine points. Rice then scored, but Washington got a pair of dunks from Harvey Grant and a jumper by Chapman to build a 97-84 cushion.

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Philadelphia 101, Orlando 85--Jeff Hornacek scored 26 points at Philadelphia to lead the 76ers, who dropped the Magic one game behind Detroit and Indiana in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

The 76ers double- and triple-teamed Magic rookie Shaquille O’Neal. The All-Star center had 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Clarence Weatherspoon, who had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers, now has 1,216 points, breaking the club’s rookie record of 1,197 set by Hersey Hawkins during the 1989-90 season.

Hawkins scored 18 as Philadelphia, which had lost 10 of 12, ended a three-game losing streak.

Tom Tolbert scored 14 points and took 13 rebounds, Donald Royal scored 16 and Dennis Scott had 15 for Orlando, which had won four of its last five.

The 76ers outscored the Magic, 19-4, from the start of the third period to open a 66-45 lead.