NBA Roundup : Pacers Make Only 19 of 74 Shots and Score 64 Points in Loss to Knicks

The New York Knicks, in the absence of injured NBA scoring champion Bernard King, don’t have much of an offense. They are the only team in the league averaging less than 100 points a game.

They scored only 82 points Tuesday night at New York, but surprisingly, they won going away, 82-64, over the cold-shooting Indiana Pacers.

The Pacers, making only 19 of 74 shots, a 25.7% average from the field, had the lowest point total in an NBA game since 1972, when Buffalo scored only 63 in 48 minutes. Twenty points is considered a low total for a quarter in the high-scoring pro circuit, but it was the best the Pacers could do in any of the 12-minute quarters.

The second-period output by the Pacers left them behind just 37-34 at halftime. Four minutes into the second half, the Pacers trailed by just one point. But Rory Sparrow made a driving layup to start an 11-0 New York rally and finished the run with two free throws to make it 54-42 with 3:30 left in the third quarter.

With Patrick Ewing controlling the boards, the Knicks maintained a fat lead the rest of the way. Ewing had 18 points and 18 rebounds.

No Indiana starter shot at better than 37.5%. The worst offender was leading scorer Herb Williams, who was 1 for 10. He has been shooting 49.6% for the season.

The Knicks, who had a 13-2 spurt in the first quarter, didn’t shoot much better than the Pacers. The two spurts helped them shoot 41.7% for the game.

Boston 114, Atlanta 110--The Celtics built a 17-point lead in the first half at Hartford, Conn., and had to go all-out in the fourth quarter to end the Hawks’ two-game winning streak.

Dominique Wilkins scored 32 points and led the Hawk comeback. Robert Parish, who scored 18 of his 24 points in the second half, made two dunks to key a 10-0 spurt in the last quarter that spelled victory for the Celtics, 18-3.

San Antonio 109, Chicago 107--The Spurs trailed from the opening tipoff at Chicago until the last minute, then pulled out the victory on a tip-in by Steve Johnson with 17 seconds remaining.

Quintin Dailey scored 25 points for Chicago but missed a 15-footer with five seconds left that would have sent the game into overtime.

After watching the performance of his former backcourt star, George Gervin, Spur Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons must have been glad he traded Gervin to the Bulls. In 18 minutes against his old mates, Gervin missed all six shots he tried and committed four fouls.

Houston 134, Utah 105--The Rockets remained the only perfect team at home (13-0) as Akeem Olajuwon led the way with 27 points. Houston led, 71-56, at halftime.

Milwaukee 117, Seattle 98--Terry Cummings scored 10 of his 19 points in the first 6 1/2 minutes of the second half at Milwaukee, enabling the Bucks to break open a tight game.

The Bucks (17-8) led by seven at halftime, but Cummings’ streak built the lead to 78-63, and the Bucks pulled away steadily until they led by 23 points.

Detroit 130, Cleveland 120--The Pistons weathered a furious opening assault at Richfield, Ohio. The Cavaliers had a 14-0 spurt and shot 61.5% from the field to build a 37-26 lead.

The Pistons caught up early in the second half and, with Kelly Tripucka scoring 15 of his 26 points in the third quarter, grabbed a 95-86 lead after three quarters.

New Jersey 106, Sacramento 100--Micheal Ray Richardson and Buck Williams proved a little too much for the stubborn Kings at East Rutherford, N.J.

Richardson had 23 points and 14 assists, and Williams had 19 points and 15 rebounds. Yet, with eight minutes left, it was 85-85. Otis Birdsong and Richardson led a 12-2 spurt that carried the Nets to victory.

Portland 94, Golden State 92--Kiki Vandeweghe, fouled just as the final buzzer sounded at Portland, made two free throws to give the Trail Blazers the victory.

With 24 seconds left, a goaltending call on a shot by Terry Teagle enabled the Warriors to tie and brought Coach Jack Ramsay of the Blazers out on the court. Ramsay escaped a technical, the Blazers played for a final shot, and Vandeweghe drew the foul.