NBA Roundup : Mavericks Beat Knicks, 113-93, and Keep a Healthy Hold on First Place

A year ago, the Dallas Mavericks were just a cut below championship contention. It appears that they have made up the difference this season.

With Mark Aguirre scoring 27 points and Sam Perkins 18, the Mavericks romped to a 113-93 victory over the New York Knicks Wednesday night at Dallas to retain their hold on first place in the Midwest Division.

With a 25-14 record, the Mavericks lead Utah by 2 1/2 games and are 6 games better than they were after 39 games last season.

One of the big reasons for the Maverick success this season is health. While other teams, especially the Knicks, have had many injuries, the Mavericks have been almost injury-free.

Of the eight players Coach Dick Motta uses on a regular basis, all have played in every game except Perkins, who missed one.

Another reason is the steady play of Perkins. In his third season, the former North Carolina star has developed into one of the most dependable players in the league. He isn’t mentioned when people talk about All-Stars, but Perkins is a key to the Mavericks’ success.

“He’s a very underrated player,” said Richie Adubato, hired to improve the Dallas defense. “Perkins anchors our defense. Inside, he’s like Kevin McHale. He has long arms and gets many deflections and steals.

“He sacrifices himself on offense, taking only about 10 shots a game. He’s the ideal power forward. He lets Mark (Aguirre) do the shooting.”

Perkins scored nine straight points early in the third period against the Knicks to stretch a small lead into a comfortable margin for the Mavericks, who improved their home record to 15-3.

Patrick Ewing had a big game for the Knicks with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocked shots.

Boston 130, Indiana 100--It just may be that the Celtics have the best front line ever assembled in the National Basketball Assn. The trio of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish destroyed the Pacers, who have now lost 21 in a row at Boston Garden.

The big men up front scored 72 of Boston’s points, had 30 rebounds and made 10 assists. They keyed a 41-26 first period that made it an easy victory.

Parish, who doesn’t get as much publicity as his two teammates, scored 8 of his 22 points in a 12-0 spurt that ended the first period. Bird had 12 in the first quarter and finished with 26. McHale wound up with 24 points.

Bird, who always seems to be at his best against the Pacers, had 13 rebounds and 8 assists.

Philadelphia 129, Seattle 123--As the 76ers slowly phase out the great Julius Erving, Charles Barkley has become the take-charge guy.

Barkley got five points as the 76ers scored the first seven points in overtime at Philadelphia.

Xavier McDaniel’s jumper with 12 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 115-115, but Barkley opened the overtime with a three-point play, and the SuperSonics never recovered.

Houston 111, San Antonio 91--When guards Mitchell Wiggins and Lewis Lloyd were banned by the league last week for testing positive for cocaine, it put considerable pressure on Robert Reid. But the 6-8 guard has handled it rather easily.

Reid was the star once again at San Antonio, where the Rockets won for the fourth time in five games, all on the road, since the two players departed.

Reid, making all four of the three-point shots he tried, scored 23 points and helped the Rockets build a 24-point lead in the last quarter.

Akeem Olajuwon scored 22 points, 17 in the second half.

Milwaukee 111, Cleveland 107--Ricky Pierce and Terry Cummings each scored 21 points for the Bucks, who ended a three-game road losing streak in a hard-fought battle at Richfield, Ohio.

The Cavaliers rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to trail, 99-97, with 3:28 left, but Pierce had a layup and an assist as the Bucks ran off six points in a row.

New Jersey 120, Phoenix 114--Orlando Woolridge scored 12 of his 29 points in a 23-11 second half spurt at East Rutherford, N.J., that enabled the Nets to end a six-game losing streak.

An alley-oop basket by Larry Nance of the Suns tied the score, 77-77, with 2:39 left in the third quarter. Woolridge then scored 12 points in the next seven minutes, and the Suns were done.

Denver 129, Golden State 112--Lafayette Lever had 21 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists at Denver to lead the Nuggets to one of their most impressive victories of the season.

Alex English, Mike Evans and Blair Rasmussen also scored 21 points apiece for the Nuggets, who took charge in the second quarter and never let the Warriors get back into the game.

Utah 112, Detroit 108--Karl Malone scored 23 points at Salt Lake City, and the Jazz barely held off a late Piston surge to gain the victory.

Adrian Dantley, traded away by the Jazz, did not have a triumphant return. He made only 3 of 12 shots, scoring just 12 points for the Pistons.