NBA Roundup : Bird Scores 50 Points, but Mavericks Beat Celtics for the First Time, 116-115

The Dallas Mavericks overcame 50 points by Larry Bird and rallied from 13 points down in the final quarter to beat the Boston Celtics for the first time in their six-year existence, 116-115, Monday night at Dallas.

The Mavericks were 0-11 against the Celtics since joining the league in 1980.

Dale Ellis hit a three-point shot with 16 seconds left, and Rolando Blackman made two free throws with eight seconds left to overcome a three-pointer and a layup by Bird in the closing seconds.

Bird scored 17 points in the third quarter as the Celtics built a 104-91 advantage, but the Mavericks came back and took a 111-110 lead with 43 seconds left on two free throws by Brad Davis.

Blackman scored 32 points and Sam Perkins added 24 for Dallas, which played without leading scorer Mark Aguirre.

Dennis Johnson scored 19 points for the Celtics, who lost their second game in a row.

Phoenix 120, Detroit 109--Larry Nance equaled his career high with 44 points and the Suns snapped the Pistons’ 15-game home-court winning streak at Pontiac, Mich.

Kelly Tripucka scored 30 for the Pistons, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the absence of Isiah Thomas, who was sidelined with a sprained thumb.

Seattle 111, Golden State 108--Jack Sikma’s three-point play with four seconds left gave the SuperSonics a victory over the Warriors at Oakland.

Goaltending was called against the Warriors’ Larry Smith on the play, and Sikma was fouled by Golden State center Joe Barry Carroll. Sikma’s free throw gave him 11 points in the final quarter and 23 for the game.