NBA Roundup : Free Comes Off Bench Again to Lead Cavalier Victory Over Bulls

When the Cleveland Cavaliers won only two of their first 21 games, it was time for drastic measures. Rookie Coach George Karl came up with a gem of an idea.

He made World B. Free his sixth man. Although the sharpshooting guard has moaned and groaned about the move, it may be the reason the Cavaliers have become a representative team instead of a pushover.

Free came off the bench Saturday night at Richfield, Ohio, and delighted a crowd of 18,074 by leading the Cavaliers to a 101-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls. It was Cleveland’s fourth win in five games.

Free scored 32 points, including seven in a row early in the fourth quarter that gave the Cavaliers the lead for good.

Since Karl made Free his first man off the bench, the Cavaliers have won eight of 12 games and have been a tough team to beat. Free, a 10-year pro, was slow to adjust to his new role. But, in the last five games, he has averaged 24.4 and the Cavaliers have started to roll.

“I never thought I would be coming off the bench again. I’m not looking for any Sixth Man Award,” Free said. “The last time I was a sub was in Philadelphia under Billy Cunningham, who is from North Carolina. And here I am coming off the bench again for another North Carolina guy. What’s wrong with those guys?”

For the time being, Free will continue to come off the bench.

“I love what World does for me off the bench,” Karl said. “I know what he is going to give me.”

In his previous nine seasons with five NBA teams, Free averaged 21.3 points. In his 12 games as the Cavaliers’ sixth man, he is averaging 21.9.

“I may never be happy coming off the bench,” Free said, “but I’m happy with the way we are going. We are tired of people talking about us. Everyone is accepting his role.

“I have to be a leader. I’m using my experience and getting other people involved in the offense. I have become a better ball handler and defender.

“I never turned the ball over much. I was always putting it up.”

Michael Jordan led the Bulls with 24 points. But his desperate bid for a tying three-point basket hit the back rim and bounced off at the buzzer.

Boston 119, Atlanta 111--Danny Ainge scored a career-high-equaling 25 points at Atlanta, but he and Coach K.C. Jones did not like the way the Celtics let the Hawks back into the game.

The Celtics (32-6) scored the first eight points and led, 34-17, at the end of one period. By the middle of the third period Boston led, 92-65. But the Hawks, with Dominique Wilkins scoring 39 points, charged back. They made one 17-0 spurt and Jones had to bring back his regulars.

“They got on a roll at the end of the third,” Jones said. “They should never have gotten back in the game. Our starters were cold when they came back, but that’s no excuse. We have lacked the killer instinct.”

Ainge, who played 41 minutes, made 10 of 15 shots. He said he thought the Celtics let up after getting so many easy shots.

Indiana 100, New York 95--Against a Knicks lineup more suited to playing in the Continental League, the Pacers were hard-pressed to win at Indianapolis.

Jerry Sichting, one of the top free throw shooters in the league, made three in the last 10 seconds to clinch the Pacers’ 11th win in 37 games.

The Knicks, who have played all season without injured centers Bill Cartwright and Marvin Webster and holdout forward Truck Robinson, were without Bernard King, the league’s leading scorer, for this one. He has a sprained ankle.

“Sure we missed Bernard, but you can’t worry about those things in this game,” Coach Hubie Brown said. “We’ve been without him for 10 of our 40 games, anyhow.”

Although the Pacers had only 62 field goal attempts, they converted 35 of them.

Phoenix 109, Utah 94--Larry Nance, Alvan Adams and Maurice Lucas each scored four points in a 16-2 spurt in the second quarter at Phoenix that broke open a close game.

Former UCLA star Michael Holton scored 10 points in the third quarter to help the Suns build an insurmountable 25-point lead.

Lucas finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds.