NBA Roundup : Dr. J Is Not About to Retire

There have been a few people around the National Basketball Assn. who have been hinting that the good Doctor, Julius Erving, should be thinking about retirement.

Erving and the team he plays for, the Philadelphia 76ers don’t concur. Erving, a little more than a month away from his 35th birthday, signed a contract Wednesday to play another season.

By way of celebration, Dr. J went out a few hours later at the Spectrum and led the 76ers to their 13th consecutive victory, a 122-99 decision over the Atlanta Hawks.

Erving scored 21 points in the first half to lead the 76ers to a 63-47 lead, then turned the game over to the younger players, including center Moses Malone. Malone finished with 34 points, although he sat out almost all of the last quarter.

Erving, who began his career in 1971 with Virginia of the old American Basketball Assn., will soon pass the 27,000-point mark in an illustrious career.

“I’m really not thinking about next season,” Erving said. “Right now, all I’m thinking about is doing everything I can to help us win another championship. I feel we are improving all the time.”

The 76ers, who have won 17 of their last 18 games, have a 33-6 record, and so do the Boston Celtics. The two teams, who have split their first two meetings this season, will play Sunday at Boston.

Although they were beaten at Boston in December, when Erving and Larry Bird had an altercation, the 76ers, with a 17-3 mark, have the best road record in the league.

New Jersey 100, Chicago 94--Darryl Dawkins returned--but not for long. The 6-11 center received a standing ovation at East Rutherford, N.J., when he came on the floor at the start of the second quarter in his first appearance since he hurt his back Oct. 27.

Dawkins scored seven points and had three rebounds in seven minutes before leaving, complaining of back pains. Dawkins had spent 44 days in a hospital, 42 of them in traction. He will not accompany the Nets to Milwaukee for a game Friday.

Otis Birdsong scored 8 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Nets to victory. Michael Jordan had 27 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists but couldn’t prevent the Bulls from losing their fifth straight game on the road.

Phoenix 98, Dallas 95--Rod Foster came off the bench to score five points in the closing minutes at Phoenix and assure the Suns of victory.

Larry Nance sank a layup with 5:42 left to give the Suns the lead for good, 86-85, and Foster followed with a three-point basket, a steal and a layup.

Mark Aguirre scored 14 of his 27 points in the third quarter to keep the Mavericks in the battle.

Washington 103, Utah 101--Greg Ballard’s jump shot at the buzzer gave the Bullets the victory at Salt Lake City. Ballard’s game-winner came just two seconds after a dramatic three-point basket by Darrell Griffith had tied the score for the Jazz.

The Jazz trailed, 82-64, after three quarters, then Griffith and Adrian Dantley sparked the Utah rally.

Denver 115, Golden State 107--Calvin Natt scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half at Denver to lead the Nuggets to victory over the Warriors. It was the ninth loss in a row by the Warriors (10-28).

The Nuggets made only 6 of 25 field-goal attempts in the third quarter to let the Warriors make a game of it.