NBA Roundup : Nuggets Beat Mavericks as Evans Stands His Ground

Mike Evans is a player who either shoots the Denver Nuggets into a game or out of it. This season, he has done more of the latter and has spent much time in Coach Doug Moe’s doghouse.

Evans scored 20 points Friday night at Dallas, but it was a defensive play by the 6-1 guard that gave the Nuggets a 116-113 victory over the Mavericks and allowed Evans to emerge from the doghouse.

With time running out, Evans stood his ground, forcing Derek Harper to commit an offensive foul before the Dallas guard banked in a three-pointer that would have tied the game.

Referee Bill Saar triggered an uproar, and a bitter protest by Maverick Coach Dick Motta, when he ruled that Harper, who had made five of eight previous three-point shots in the game, charged into Evans an instant before he scored.

The Nuggets, losers of 5 in a row and 16 of their last 20, seemed headed for another defeat after blowing a 10-point lead and falling behind, 113-112, on a layup by Rolando Blackman with 85 seconds to play.

But, thanks in part to Saar, the Mavericks, seeking to go 13 games above .500 for the first time in history, never scored again.

Danny Schayes scored on a layup with 1:19 left, and Evans, shortly before taking the charge, sank two free throws to make it a three-point lead.

Boston 109, Sacramento 99--When Robert Parish played so well last season and was such a big help as the Celtics regained the NBA championship, it was generally agreed that the presence of Bill Walton had a lot to do with it. It was said that Walton enabled Parish to get much needed rest.

Yet, with Walton not having played a minute this season because of injuries, Parish, despite extended playing time, is playing better than ever.

Parish took charge in this game at Boston to more than make up for the continued absence of Larry Bird and his aching back. Parish had 28 points and a game-controling 25 rebounds as the Celtics won for the third time in four games this season without Bird.

Forced to play eight minutes more a game, Parish is among the Top Ten in rebounding and blocked shots and is averaging almost 19 points per game, up 3 points from a year ago.

“Parish took over,” Celtic Coach K.C. Jones said. “I knew he was doing well on the boards, but I didn’t know he had 28 points.”

New York 94, Philadelphia 84--The Knicks’ version of the Twin Towers (Patrick Ewing and Bill Cartwright) and a tough defense enabled the Knicks to end a 15-game losing streak at the Spectrum to the 76ers.

Ewing had 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Cartwright, the other 7-footer, had 22 points and 9 rebounds.

Washington 100, Milwaukee 92--Although woefully undermanned, the Bucks built a 71-47 lead halfway through the third quarter at Milwaukee, then collapsed.

The Bucks were without starters Craig Hodges, Sidney Moncrief and Paul Pressey, all injured. They managed only two baskets in the last five minutes of the third quarter.

Meanwhile, John Williams scored 7 of his 21 points in a 23-4 spurt that wiped out most of the lead in a hurry.

Portland 127, New Jersey 120--Clyde Drexler scored 6 of his 21 points in overtime at East Rutherford, N.J., to spark the Trail Blazers.

Portland’s Leon Wood sank a jumper with four seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime.

San Antonio 115, Phoenix 100--Rookie Walter Berry scored 11 of his career-high 20 points in the fourth quarter at Phoenix to help the Spurs end a 15-game road losing streak. Berry made all eight of his shots.