NBA Playoffs Roundup : Cavaliers Tough, Until Bird and McHale Rally

Larry Bird warned the Boston Celtics that the Cleveland Cavaliers would be tough to beat. The only Celtics who heeded him were Kevin McHale and Larry Bird.

McHale and Bird scored 13 points between them in the last 4 1/2 minutes at Boston Thursday night to bring the Celtics from behind for a 126-123 victory in the first game of their defense of the NBA championship.

It was the 20th consecutive defeat at Boston Garden for the Cavaliers, but behind Roy Hinson and John Bagley, they played the Celtics on even terms most of the night. The Cavaliers had nine more field goals than the Celtics, and with 4:38 left in the game, Cleveland led, 118-113.

A charge call on Phil Hubbard, driving for a basket against Bird, and the scoring of McHale changed things in a hurry. McHale scored 9 points and Bird 4 in the stretch drive. Edgar Jones and World B. Free missed three-point tries in the closing seconds that would have tied the game for the Cavaliers.

Although he said the elbow injury that kept him out of two games late in the season still hurt, Bird scored 40 points, sinking 14 of 25 shots and 11 of 12 free throws. The Celtics won the game at the line, making 35 of 39 attempts.

The Cavaliers shot almost 56% from the field but only 62% from the line in losing for the 16th time in a row to the Celtics. But this was the closest the improving Cavaliers have come to beating Boston. It was a confidence-builder.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Free said, “we can play with them. We didn’t win the game, but we played a hard game.”

While Hinson scored 24 points and Bagley had 22 points and 11 assists, it was not one of Free’s better games. Bothered by a groin injury, he was only 8 for 21 from the field. The Cavaliers need a big game from him to win.

“They know how to make the big plays. We’re just learning how to do it,” Cavalier Coach George Karl said. The Cavaliers, after losing 19 of their first 21 games this season, have shown steady improvement.

In the last seven weeks of the regular season, the Cavaliers had the third-best record in the East (23-15). Boston was 26-10, Milwaukee, 27-9.

They will get a chance to improve just a bit more Saturday at Boston in the second game of the best-of-five series.

Dallas 139, Portland 131 (2 OT)--A magnificent clutch performance by Rolando Blackman kept the Mavericks from being the first home team to lose in the playoffs.

With Portland leading, 112-110, Blackman made a driving scoop shot with just four seconds left in regulation to send the game into the first overtime.

The Trail Blazers again led in the first overtime, 121-119, but Blackman drove the baseline with six seconds left to tie it. With time running out, Mychal Thompson was bringing the ball up for a final dunk, but Blackman knocked the ball out of his hands to force a second overtime.

In the second overtime, Kiki Vandeweghe of Portland scored the first two baskets, but Blackman scored the next three to trigger a 15-2 burst that carried the Mavericks to their hard-earned victory.

Blackman finished with 43 points.

“I’m wringing wet,” Maverick Coach Dick Motta said, “and I’m sure Jack (Portland coach Ramsay) is, too.

“As the game progressed, we felt Rolando could get by Clyde Drexler, so we started running plays for him. He did the job, and it was a great game to watch.”

Denver 141, San Antonio 111--The Nuggets wasted little time at Denver showing the Spurs that they are in for a rough time. They started out with the first six points, extended the lead to 68-51 by halftime, and the Spurs never threatened.

In the first half, George Gervin was held scoreless as the Spurs made only 14 field goals.

Alex English scored 33 points for the Nuggets, 15 in the third quarter.

Detroit 125, New Jersey 105--It took Dan Roundfield only 97 seconds at Detroit to let Buck Williams and the Nets know the Pistons planned to take the ball to the hoop. He made a turnaround jumper and a driving layup.

With Isiah Thomas getting 21 points and 11 assists, the Pistons never looked back. By halftime, they led, 64-45. Bill Laimbeer had 13 rebounds and Roundfield 10 as the Pistons compiled a 52-39 rebounding edge.

“They said they were going to come to me early,” said Roundfield, who had 8 points and 5 rebounds in the opening quarter. “My teammates have been kidding me, ‘Hey do something with it.’ I had to do it.”