NBA ROUNDUP : Rookie Smith Helps Celtics Beat Mavericks

Michael Smith has come a long way in his rookie year with the Boston Celtics.

On Wednesday night, in his third start of the season, Larry Bird yelled at him to shoot.

“When a guy like that tells you to shoot, that instills confidence in a player,” Smith said. “It’s great.”

Smith missed but still scored 21 points as the Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks, 111-98, at the Boston Garden. Bird led all scorers with 31 points. Derek Harper scored 30 for Dallas.

Boston had lost four consecutive games before Coach Jimmy Rodgers substituted Smith for Ed Pinckney in the starting lineup for the last two games of an eight-game trip that ended Sunday.

In those two game, Smith, a 6-foot-10 forward, had a total of 40 points in 63 minutes as the Celtics won both. Of his 182 points this season, 61 have come in the past three games.

“With Michael Smith in the lineup, we’re more active,” said teammate Reggie Lewis. “He can take his man inside or outside.”

Smith said that with Kevin McHale and Bird commanding most of the defense’s attention, he has room to operate.

“This is only three games (that he’s started). We don’t need to make a big deal about it,” Smith said. “I’m still learning.”

The Mavericks are 0-10 at Boston Garden in their 10-year history. The only other NBA city where they haven’t won is Orlando Fla., but they’ve never played there.

Bird missed a free throw with 6:41 remaining in the game, ending at 71 his streak of consecutive free throws made at home. His overall streak of 71, second in NBA history to Calvin Murphy’s 78, ended at Houston on Feb. 13.

Atlanta 102, Indiana 99--Kevin Willis scored 19 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to lead the Hawks at Atlanta.

It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Hawks, who snapped Indiana’s two-game winning streak and beat the Pacers for the first time in four meetings. Indiana had won seven of its past 10 games.

Dominique Wilkins also had 19 points for Atlanta, and Moses Malone added 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Reggie Miller led Indiana with 24 points, including three three-point baskets. Detlef Schrempf added 22 points and 11 rebounds and Chuck Person 19 points.

Miller’s basket with 35 seconds left cut the lead to 100-99. Wilkins made one of two free throws with 23 seconds to play and Person was called for traveling with eight seconds left.

After Kenny Smith sank one of two free throws with under five seconds remaining, Miller missed a three-point shot at the buzzer.

Miami 113, Sacramento 92--Kevin Edwards scored 32 points, 16 in the first quarter, to lead the Heat at Miami.

Edwards made 13 of 17 shots and six of six free throws as Miami won for only third time in 19 games.

Antoine Carr led the Kings with 20 points. Vinny Del Negro, playing his first game after missing five with a sprained ankle, added 17.

Golden State 144, San Antonio 135--Rod Higgins scored nine of his 13 points in overtime and Chris Mullin set a team record with six three-point baskets to lead Warriors at Oakland.

Mullin made his first five three-point shots and finished with six of eight overall and 36 points. Mitch Richmond had 28 points and Tom Tolbert added a career-high 27 for the Warriors, who broke a six-game losing streak.

Rookie center David Robinson had a career-high 38 points for the Spurs, including eight dunks and 17 rebounds. Terry Cummings added 28 points and tied his career high with 24 rebounds.

The Spurs outrebounded the Warriors, 68-46, setting a franchise record with 37 offensive boards.