NBA Roundup : Celtics’ ‘Home’ Win Streak Broken

When the Boston Celtics’ “home court” winning streak came to an end Tuesday night, it was the depth of the opposition that made it possible.

Dan Roundfield and Darwin Cook came off the bench at Hartford, Conn., to lead a fourth-quarter spurt that carried the Washington Bullets to a 117-109 victory over the Celtics.

The Bullets’ first road victory in seven games this season ended the Celtics’ unbeaten string at home at 48. Three of those had been at Hartford, their second home. At Boston Garden, the Celtics have won 45 in a row since losing to the Portland Trail Blazers last Dec. 6.

The Celtics have been winning mostly with their starting five. In this game, however, lack of reliable substitutes cost them.

Boston went into the final period with an 86-81 lead. The well-rested Roundfield and Cook took it to the Celtics in the first four minutes of the last quarter. Cook scored six points and Roundfield four in a 14-2 surge that put the Bullets ahead to stay.

Jeff Malone led all scorers with 36 points, but in the fourth quarter, it was Moses Malone who led the Bullets to a 36-23 fourth-quarter margin. Malone, who had only a 6-for-18 shooting night from the field, had 11 points in the fourth quarter.

Larry Bird, playing 42 minutes, made 11 of 16 shots from the field, including a three-pointer, and had 29 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. But he didn’t have quite enough help, and the Celtics fell to 10-5.

“It isn’t Boston Garden, but we beat them,” said Moses Malone, who finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

“I think we played a perfect fourth quarter and that’s what it takes to beat a team like Boston,” Coach Kevin Loughery said. “It feels great for us to win a game on the road.”

Atlanta 116, Denver 100--The Hawks came home just long enough to pick up a couple of clean shirts and trounce the Nuggets.

The Hawks, who arrived home Monday from a four-game swing of the West, which included a win over the Lakers, leave today on a three-game trip that begins Thursday night at Houston.

This was a game only long enough for the fans to get settled into their seats. With Dominique Wilkins scoring 12 points in each of the first two periods, the Hawks built a 33-23 lead in 12 minutes and led, 69-42, at halftime.

Wilkins was used sparingly in the second half and finished with 28 points as the Hawks improved their record to 13-3, best in the East. The Hawks are 7-0 at home.

Despite a 31-point performance by Alex English, the Nuggets lost their seventh consecutive game on the road.

Milwaukee 95, Indiana 88--With both Sidney Moncrief and Ricky Pierce out with injuries, about all the Bucks had going for them was Terry Cummings and a stout defense.

Cummings scored 22 of his 30 points in the first half at Milwaukee to build a lead, and the defense did the rest.

Moncrief is on the disabled list with a knee injury, and Pierce, the team’s hot shooter, has a sprained ankle.

Phoenix 124, New York 100--The departure of Coach Hubie Brown did nothing to improve the fire of the Knicks. In the debut of Coach Bob Hill in this game at Phoenix, the Knicks did as they have most of the season.

For three quarters, they made a game of it, trailing, 89-82. But Larry Nance led the Suns to an 18-2 spurt early in the fourth quarter and it was another rout for the Knicks (4-13).

Golden State 104, Houston 99--Coach Bill Fitch is hard-pressed to put a team on the floor. In addition to being without center Akeem Olajuwon, the Rockets played this game at Oakland without Rodney McCray, who was absent because of an illness in the family.

Joe Barry Carroll scored 36 points, including the key points down the stretch when the Rockets were rallying, to lead the Warriors to their fourth win in a row.

Cleveland 115, San Antonio 105--Rookie Ron Harper scored 13 of his 34 points in the third quarter at Richfield, Ohio, to help the Cavaliers break open a close game and win their third straight.

The teams were tied, 58-58, at halftime, but with Harper, the former Miami of Ohio backcourt star, setting a blistering pace, the Cavaliers outscored the Spurs, 34-21, in the third quarter.

The Cavaliers maintained control throughout the fourth quarter, although they were hit with an unusual technical foul for having only four players on the court.

Dallas 127, Sacramento 124--Rolando Blackman scored 29 points, including seven of his team’s last 11 at Sacramento as the Mavericks handed the Kings their fourth defeat in a row.

Blackman scored 15 points in the second quarter to help Dallas build a lead it never relinquished.

Chicago 115, Seattle 109--Michael Jordan scored 40 points, including two free throws that broke a tie with 46 seconds left in overtime, giving the Bulls a victory over the SuperSonics at Seattle.

Jordan followed his two free throws with a blocked shot of Tom Chambers’ jumper and then added a 15-foot jump shot to give the Bulls a 113-109 lead.

Jordan sent the game into overtime when he scored on a rebound layup and was fouled by Dale Ellis with 34 seconds remaining in regulation. Jordan made the free throw to tie the score at 105.