NBA Roundup : Hawks Pull Through With Their Rear Guards

Although they are missing starting guards Eddie Johnson and Doc Rivers, the Atlanta Hawks are proving they can compete with the best in the East.

Dominique Wilkins scored 7 of his 28 points in overtime Saturday night at Atlanta to lead the surprising Hawks to a 114-113 victory over Philadelphia.

The win over the powerful 76ers came just 24 hours after Wilkins scored 40 points at Boston and the Hawks just missed upsetting the Celtics, the best in the East.

The Hawks were so desperate for help in the backcourt when the season opened, they played the 6-7 Wilkins. They abandoned that idea after losing the first two games. In the last three games, Randy Wittman and the much-traveled Ray Williams have been opening at guard, and 5-5 1/2 rookie Spud Webb has been coming off the bench to provide offensive punch.

Johnson, the playmaker and a high scorer, was a holdout and should be ready to play next week. Rivers has a broken arm and will be out at least three more weeks.

“These last two games,” Wilkins told UPI, “prove we can play with anybody. I love playing against teams like Boston and Philadelphia.

“We didn’t let up. We didn’t die. In overtime, our plan was to get some early baskets underneath, and we did.”

The 76ers had beaten the Hawks five times in a row, and they held a 99-94 lead with just two minutes remaining. The Hawks scored seven points in a row to take the lead, but Charles Barkley made two free throws for the 76ers to tie it, 101-101. When Barkley missed a short jumper with five seconds left in regulation, the game went into overtime.

Wilkins scored the first two points of overtime, and his free throw with two seconds left made it 114-110. Thus, Leon Wood’s three-point shot left the 76ers still short.

The 76ers shot only 44 for 102. The front line of Barkley, Julius Erving and Moses Malone was only 17 of 49.

Dallas 119, Sacramento 113--Mark Aguirre scored 14 of his 42 points in the fourth quarter at Dallas to lead the Mavericks’ winning rally.

The Mavericks, outplayed for three periods, trailed, 90-77, with 12 minutes remaining. A spurt midway through the quarter brought the Mavericks close, and they took the lead for good with three minutes left when LaSalle Thompson of the Kings was called for goaltending on a shot by Jay Vincent.

Aguirre sank 15 of 27 shots and had seven rebounds and five assists while playing 36 minutes.

Milwaukee 136, New Jersey 113--Sidney Moncrief scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half at Milwaukee to put the Bucks in front, and they pulled away steadily in the second half to win easily.

The Bucks improved their record to 3-2 with their third win in a row at home.

Milwaukee shot 50%, while New Jersey had an off-night, sinking less than 40% of its shots.

Houston 111, San Antonio 98--On a night when the Twin Towers, Akeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, scored only 27 points between them, playmaker John Lucas took charge in this game at Houston.

Lucas outscored them both with 31 points. Moreover, he scored 13 in the third quarter, when the Rockets broke the game open.

Then, when the Spurs threatened late, Lucas came off the bench to score five points in 28 seconds and make sure the Rockets improved their record to 3-2.

Boston 88, Washington 73--Danny Ainge scored 20 points at Landover, Md., as the Celtics, taking advantage of some atrocious shooting by the Bullets, hustled to their fourth victory in a row.

The Bullets had only 37 points in the first half. In the second quarter, they made only 4 of 26 shots, and they made only 28 out of 82 all night.

Detroit 128, Indiana 117--John Long, filling in for injured Vinnie Johnson, scored 24 points at Indianapolis to lead the Pistons to a win over the Pacers for the second night in a row.

Johnson cut his finger on his shooting hand and had to leave in the second quarter.

Seattle 118, Chicago 100--Tom Chambers scored 23 points, and Al Wood added 22 at Seattle to lead the SuperSonics to their first victory after three defeats.

The SuperSonics took advantage of the absence of the Bulls’ Michael Jordan, out with a jammed left ankle.

Portland 128, Utah 108--Kiki Vandeweghe and Clyde Drexler paced the Trail Blazers to a 43-point second quarter and an easy victory at Portland. Vandeweghe had 13 of his 25 points and Drexler 15 of his 22 in the second quarter.