NBA Roundup : Cavaliers, 0 for October Since ‘80, Finally Snap Streak

After just one victory, the Cleveland Cavaliers are already way ahead of last year’s start.

With World B. Free and Roy Hinson scoring 24 points apiece, the Cavaliers took an early 44-20 lead, held off a mild Washington comeback and defeated the Bullets, 114-107, Thursday night at Landover, Md.

“We got the monkey off our backs,” Free said after the Cavaliers won for the first time in four starts and posted their first October victory since 1980.

Then, recalling that the Cavaliers went 0-9 at the start of last season, Free added: “That wasn’t a monkey, that was an ape.”

Coach Gene Shue of the Bullets, who lost for the first time in three games, said: “We probably could have played all night and not caught up. In the first quarter, we did about as much as you can possibly do wrong.”

A 13-point streak by Cleveland, including six by Free, gave the Cavaliers a 27-10 lead and the first quarter ended with Cleveland ahead, 34-14.

Washington, led by Jeff Malone, pulled to within 44-32 following a 12-point streak in the second period, but the Cavaliers extended their advantage to 72-53 before another Washington comeback.

Phil Hubbard scored 21 points for Cleveland. Malone led the Bullets with 25, Darren Daye had 21 and Dudley Bradley scored 16, including three three-point shots.

Denver 90, Seattle 73--At Denver, the Nuggets held the SuperSonics to an NBA record-tying eight points in the fourth quarter. It was also the fewest points ever scored against the Nuggets.

Denver (4-0) trailed by 15 points in the second quarter and was behind, 65-64, with 1:44 to go in the third quarter before outscoring Seattle, 16-0. Mike Evans hit two three-pointers during the surge.

Seattle (0-3) scored only two points the first eight minutes of the final quarter, missing its first 11 shots from the field.

Alex English led the Denver with 17 points, and Fat Lever had 15.

For the Sonics, Jack Sikma had a game-high 18 points, and Tom Chambers added 15.

Golden State 111, New York 104--Joe Barry Carroll scored 28 points to lead the Warriors at Oakland.

The Knicks’ Patrick Ewing scored 27 points, but sat out most of the first half after picking up early fouls and fouled out with 32 seconds left in the game.

Ewing played only 14 minutes in the first half and scored just six points.

The Warriors (1-3) got 22 points from Sleepy Floyd, while Pat Cummings had 23 for the 0-3 Knicks.

Eleven straight points by the Warriors, starting with a hook shot by Carroll with 1:36 left in the third quarter, put them ahead, 89-82, early in the final period after coming back from a 64-58 deficit.

Sacramento 122, Houston 116--Guard Larry Drew of the Kings swiped an inbound Houston pass with 11 seconds to go and hit a layup to ice the game at Sacramento.

Sacramento led the Rockets until 1:23 left to play when Akeem Olajuwon connected on two free throws to put Houston on top, 114-113. Ten seconds later, Eddie Johnson of the Kings hit a 10-foot jumper to put Sacramento back in front.

It was the first win of the season after two losses for the Kings, and the franchise’s first since moving to Sacramento from Kansas City.

Drew scored 14 points. His other 12 points came in the second quarter off the fast break to spark an 18-point Kings lead.

Sacramento center LaSalle Thompson led all scorers with 37 points.

Olajuwon led Houston with 30 points.