NBA Roundup : 76ers Are Caught Off Guard

When the Philadelphia 76ers went through the 1983 playoffs losing only one game, guards Andrew Toney and Maurice Cheeks were the talk of pro basketball.

Many were calling them the best backcourt pair in the NBA. A few wondered if they weren’t among the best ever. They slipped a little last season and the 76ers failed to repeat as champion.

Toney and Cheeks weren’t even the best backcourt combination on the court Saturday afternoon at East Rutherford, N.J., as New Jersey guards Micheal Ray Richardson and Otis Birdsong led the Nets to a 101-96 victory.

Birdsong had 10 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and Richardson, despite a cold streak during which he missed 11 shots in a row, scored 19 points and triggered a defense that forced the 76ers into 21 turnovers.

Richardson, who had nine rebounds and nine assists, also had five steals. He ended his string of misses with a driving layup with two minutes remaining to give the Nets the lead for good, 95-93, and Birdsong followed with two baskets to clinch the victory.

The Nets knocked the 76ers out of the playoffs last spring, but injuries have made this a long season. In three previous meetings this season, the 76ers won them all.

Slowly, the Nets are getting their team back together. Darryl Dawkins, playing back-to-back games for the first time since the first two games of the season, fouled out in near-record time (11 minutes), but the Nets were happy because he experienced no back pains.

Birdsong is rounding into form after recovering from a knee injury, while Albert King and Darwin Cook are slowly getting into solid condition after injuries.

The Nets won this one despite terrible shooting (39.8% from the field). They also had to overcome some sensational play by Julius Erving in the fourth quarter.

The Nets led most of the way, but Erving stole the ball twice and scored 10 points--mostly on spectacular moves--to put the 76ers in front by three points early in the fourth quarter. Then, Birdsong and Richardson took charge.

Golden State 114, New York 98--The Warriors exploded for 45 points in the second quarter at Oakland to build a 70-44 halftime lead and ended a 16-game losing streak with their first victory of 1985.

The Warriors, who had not won since two nights after Christmas, went on a 23-1 burst in the second period that broke the game open. The Warriors’ club record is 17 in a row.

Boston 97, Washington 91--Although they were playing again without their two top scorers (Cliff Robinson and Jeff Ruland) in this game at Landover, Md., the Bullets were leading until Larry Bird took charge with seven minutes left.

The Bullets led, 87-84, but Bird had five points and an assist in a 9-0 spurt that ended Bullet hopes. Bird finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists.

Detroit 110, Atlanta 102--Bill Laimbeer scored 8 of his 25 points in overtime as the Pistons set a club record by winning their ninth in a row at home.

The Hawks missed a chance to win in regulation. They trailed by a point with three seconds left, but Antoine Carr, the Pistons’ No. 1 draft choice in 1983, made only one of two free throws.

Milwaukee 105, Portland 95--Craig Hodges scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter at Portland to help the Bucks wipe out a seven-point deficit and win their 11th in a row. Paul Pressey had 10 in the period as the Bucks outscored the Trail Blazers, 37-20.

Cleveland 124, Kansas City 106--World B. Free scored 19 points in a six-minute flurry in the third quarter at Richfield, Ohio, to lead the Cavaliers to an easy victory. Free made eight consecutive shots in his spurt, seven long jumpers, two of them three-pointers, and a layup.

The Kings led, 72-67, when Free exploded.

Houston 131, Denver 128--Ralph Sampson scored 6 of his 37 points in the second overtime at Houston before fouling out with one minute remaining. The Nuggets had won their previous eight games.

Sampson’s dunk late in the fourth quarter sent the game into overtime.

Utah 105, San Antonio 104--Adrian Dantley, benched for one game, returned and scored 20 points at Salt Lake City, but it took a jumper by Thurl Bailey from the top of the key with six seconds left to win the game.