NBA ROUNDUP : Mourning’s Late Shot Sinks Celtics

Alonzo Mourning’s top-of-the-key jump shot with 0.4 seconds to play Wednesday night ruined a fourth-quarter comeback by the Boston Celtics and gave the Hornets a 104-103 victory at Charlotte, N.C., moving them into the second round of the playoffs.

After losing the first game of the best-of-five series, the Hornets came back to win the next three in their first playoff appearance.

Mourning, who scored 33 points, took an inbounds pass from Dell Curry, dribbled once, squared up and swished a shot from behind the college three-point line, setting off a midcourt celebration.

Just enough time remained to give Boston one last chance.

From midcourt, Kevin McHale tossed an alley-oop pass toward Dee Brown, but Brown’s shot glanced off the side of the rim. The Celtics, who had overcome a 19-point deficit before Mourning’s shot, claimed goaltending on the shot, and television replays seemed to support their claim.

The Celtics took a 103-102 lead when Sherman Douglas stripped the ball from Mourning and made a layup with 42.7 seconds to play.

Larry Johnson scored 20 points and Kendall Gill 18 for Charlotte.

Boston’s Robert Parish had 24.

Cleveland 93, New Jersey 84--Larry Nance scored 11 of his 23 points during the pivotal third quarter and All-Star teammate Brad Daugherty had 10 of his 22 in the same period at East Rutherford, N.J., as the Cavaliers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

The Nets played most of the game with fourth-stringer Dwayne Schintzius at center after Sam Bowie suffered a sprained left ankle during the second period. Cleveland outrebounded New Jersey, 50-32, and was led by Nance with 17.

San Antonio 107, Portland 101--David Robinson scored 26 points and the Spurs held the Trail Blazers scoreless during the final 3:05 at San Antonio to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

Willie Anderson scored 13 of his 19 points during the fourth quarter, helping the Spurs rally from an 87-80 deficit, and had a key steal with 19 seconds to play.

Clyde Drexler led the Trail Blazers with 19 points.