NBA Roundup : Celtics Win as Bird Goes Distance

A temper display had cut down considerably on Larry Bird’s playing time Wednesday night. After just nine minutes, referee Bill Oakes threw the Boston Celtics star out of the game with Milwaukee.

So, it was expected that Friday night at Chicago, Bird would be at his best. He also wasn’t about to leave the game.

Bird played the entire 48 minutes, scoring 37 points, to lead the Celtics to a 110-98 victory despite a 48-point performance by Chicago’s Michael Jordan.

Jordan, who improved his league-leading scoring average to 38.4 points a game, carried nearly the entire load for the Bulls (5-3).

On the other hand, Bird was given plenty of support by his buddies on the front line, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. McHale scored 32 points, including 14 in the last quarter, and Parish had 27.

The trio accounted for 96 points, including 24 of 26 from the free-throw line, and 31 of the Celtics’ 40 rebounds.

While Jordan made 17 of his 33 field goal attempts, the rest of the Bulls were 21 of 56.

Atlanta 105, Detroit 100--Kevin Willis plays well almost all the time these days, but he still saves his best for his return home to Michigan.

In this game at Pontiac, the 7-foot forward from Michigan State destroyed the Pistons, scoring 31 points and getting 20 rebounds. He made 12 of 17 shots.

“Every time I come home, I try to perform to my greatest ability,” Willis said. “Tonight was one of the real good ones.”

Willis and his teammates were aided by the absence of Detroit center Bill Laimbeer, who sat out the second half because of back spasms.

Denver 142, Dallas 138--Bill Hanzlik scored a career-high 33 points for the Mavericks, including two free throws with nine seconds left, in a wild shootout at Denver.

The Mavericks led most of the way, falling behind in the closing minutes. At one point in the second quarter, they held a 69-51 lead.

A three-point play by Hanzlik with 3:36 left gave Denver the lead for good.

Phoenix 127, Philadelphia 97--The 76ers, playing their fourth road game in six nights, fell behind, 16-4, in the opening minutes and never made a threat.

The Suns, ending a four-game losing streak, were able to use substitutes most of the second half.

Milwaukee 106, New York 103--Ricky Pierce came off the bench to lead the Bucks to another victory at Milwaukee. Pierce scored 21 points, including a layup with 24 seconds left that clinched the victory.