NBA Roundup : Celtics Defeat Pistons for 6th in Row, 124-105

Since dropping the season opener to New Jersey by four points in overtime, the Boston Celtics have been unbeatable.

Saturday night at Detroit, Larry Bird scored 29 points and Kevin McHale added 28 to give the Celtics a 124-105 victory and a 6-1 record, while snapping the Pistons’ four-game winning streak.

The Celtics, who shot 61% in the first quarter, bolted to a 20-6 lead after 4 1/2 minutes, stretched the margin to 36-16 late in the quarter and were never headed. They led by as many as 24 points in the second quarter and by 22 at halftime, 72-50.

Detroit made a run in the third quarter as Isiah Thomas, who finished with a team-high 22 points, scored 10 in a 13-4 spurt to bring the Pistons within 13. Consecutive baskets by Rick Mahorn and Kelly Tripucka then cut the lead to 78-69, but Boston responded with a 9-2 spurt to take an 87-71 with 5:14 left.

The Celtics closed the third period with another 9-2 blitz, padding their cushion to 100-82.

Dennis Johnson (6-4, 200 pounds) added 19 points for Boston before being ejected for fighting with Detroit center Bill Laimbeer (6-11, 245 pounds).

Chicago 97, New York 94--The Knicks came within inches of a shot at their first win of the season, but Gerald Wilkins’ three-point attempt at the buzzer, which would have sent the game into overtime, bounced off the rim.

A crowd of 18,737 at Madison Square Garden, many of whom had bought tickets with hopes of seeing Chicago star Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing of the Knicks playing against each other, watched the home team drop its 20th straight game dating back to last season. The Knicks have not won since March 26, 1985.

The Bulls won for the first time in five games--since Jordan went out with a broken bone in his left foot--as Orlando Woolridge scored 28 points, including two clutch baskets in the final 1:13. Chicago sank 26 of 31 free throws.

Ewing had 20 points at halftime but picked up his fourth foul with 5:20 remaining in the third quarter and spent long stretches on the bench until the final six minutes. He finished with 26.

Houston 115, Dallas 110--The Rockets shot 71% in the first half to take an 11-point lead and then held on at Dallas as Robert Reid came off the bench in the fourth quarter.

Mark Aguirre’s layup for Dallas tied the score, 93-93, but Reid scored 9 of the Rockets’ next 11 points to open a 110-104 lead with 2:52 left. After Aguirre hit two field goals to get Dallas within two, 110-108, with 1:37 remaining, John Lucas hit a desperation three-point shot as the 24-second buzzer sounded to seal the victory.

Lucas led all scorers with 25 points. Rolando Blackman had 24 and Aguirre 22 for Dallas.

Utah 121, Cleveland 114--At Salt Lake City, Adrian Dantley scored nine of his game-high 36 points in the final five minutes, and Thurl Bailey added 22 points to lead the Jazz.

Cleveland cut Utah’s lead to 100-97 with 6:39 remaining before Dantley took control of the game as the Jazz outscored the Cavaliers, 12-5, during the next five minutes.

Indiana 127, Phoenix 105--The Pacers trailed only once after the game’s first basket at Indianapolis as Steve Stipanovich got 20 of his 24 points in the first half.

Walter Davis had a game-high 28 points to lead the Suns.

New Jersey 126, Milwaukee 123--Mickey Johnson scored only six points at East Rutherford, N.J., but included was the go-ahead basket and a steal and a basket to clinch their sixth straight home victory for the Nets. Micheal Ray Richardson scored 25 points, and Buck Williams added 22 to lead New Jersey.

Sacramento 98, Seattle 93--Reserve guard Mike Woodson scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Kings at Sacramento,

Woodson sank two free throws with 3:26 remaining to break an 88-88 tie and put the Kings into a lead they held for the rest of the game. Sacramento’s clinching points came on two more free throws by Mark Olberding, a drive-in field goal by Larry Drew and two free throws by LaSalle Thompson.