NBA Roundup : 76ers Drop Blazers Eight Games Back

When Denver opened the season by winning 12 out of 14 games, those who thought the Nuggets got the better of the deal that sent Kiki Vandeweghe to Portland nodded their heads.

But when the Trail Blazers appeared to jell in early December and were challenging the Lakers for first place in the Pacific Division, Trail Blazers fans began to have hope.

It has all gone down the drain and Vandeweghe, the No. 3 scorer in the NBA last season, is only a substitute.

Vandeweghe came off the bench to score 27 points Sunday night at Portland, but the Trail Blazers couldn’t handle Moses Malone and lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, 111-106. It was the 10th loss in the last 11 games for the Trail Blazers and dropped them eight games behind the Lakers.

Malone scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to thwart Portland’s closing rally. The Trail Blazers managed to keep Malone away from his customary spot inside, but he foiled their plans by sinking five consecutive 15-footers.

Coach Jack Ramsay has tried five different lineup changes since the skid began with a loss to Houston Dec. 7, but nothing has worked and the Trail Blazers just keep losing.

The 76ers have won five in a row and are only half a game behind Boston in the Atlantic Division.

Indiana 119, Utah 117--The Pacers, who won only two of their first 14 road games this season, made it two in a row away from home when Steve Stipanovich scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter to lead the winning rally.

Clark Kellogg sank two free throws with 18 seconds remaining to win the game, but after Adrian Dantley missed a jumper, Stipanovich grabbed the rebound with three seconds left to wipe out the final hope of the Jazz.

The 6-11 Stipanovich, who lost his starting job early in the season, came off the bench to help the Pacers wipe out a five-point deficit in the last 12 minutes.

Dantley led all scorers with 34 points, but the veteran sharpshooter missed 9 of 21 free-throw attempts in addition to missing the shot that would have tied it in the closing seconds.