NBA Roundup : Davis Sparks Rally; Suns Beat Pacers, 104-103

Walter Davis has made it all the way back.

A fluke injury and an admitted problem with cocaine and alcohol threatened to end his brilliant career.

Instead, at 32, Davis is again one of the most respected players in the National Basketball Assn.

Davis scored 9 of his 25 points in a fourth-quarter rally as the Phoenix Suns came back from a 16-point deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers, 104-103, Saturday night at Indianapolis. Mike Sanders put in a rebound at the buzzer for the winning basket.

The Pacers scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to take a 93-77 lead, then missed eight shots in a row to allow the Suns to get close.

Davis sank back-to-back jumpers to get Phoenix even, 98-98. But with nine seconds left, Indiana led, 103-102. The Suns called time out to set up a play for Davis. Davis missed, but Sanders put in the rebound for his only basket of the night.

Davis not only is winning his battle with drug abuse, his 23.9-point average is the best he has had since 1978-79, his second NBA season. He also returned to North Carolina and earned his degree.

The Suns have found that the 6-foot 6-inch veteran is equally at home at forward or guard. Wherever they need help, Davis does the job.

“I would never say I’m cured,” said Davis, who spent a month in rehabilitation last season. “The NBA policy is fair, and without it, I could really be in trouble.”

Davis suffered a career-threatening knee injury during an exhibtion gmae at the Forum in 1984.

“He was always a tremendous shooter, not good, but great,” Sun Coach John MacLeod said. “He’s in great shape this year. He feels better than he has in years. His knee wasn’t ready last season, but he worked hard all summer and he led everyone on the club in sprints at camp. Not bad for an old man.”

When they had to move him to forward last week because of injuries to Larry Nance, Davis responded with 45 points in one game and 27 in the next. With Nance back, Davis again starts at guard.

Atlanta 97, Seattle 87--The trend in guards is bigger and better. A four-game losing streak and the continued absence of shooting guard Randy Wittman caused Coach Mike Fratello of the Hawks to move 6-7 Dominique Wilkins into the backcourt.

The move worked. In this game at Atlanta, the SuperSonics were unable to stop Wilkins. He scored 12 of his 41 points in the third quarter as the Hawks broke open a tight game.

The SuperSonics, obviously tired from their efforts in beating New Jersey Friday night, trailed by 15 points in the first quarter. They fought back to get within two at halftime, but couldn’t handle Wilkins in the third quarter. They shot only 40.7%. The Hawks were worse, shooting 39.8%. Wilkins, though, was 14 for 27.

“I may use Dominique some more at guard,” Fratello said. “It worked out rather well.”

Cleveland 114, Chicago 84----Friday night at Chicago, Coach Lenny Wilkens of the Cavaliers decided that the way to beat the Bulls was to force Michael Jordan to work hard on defense and hope he would wear himself out. It didn’t work, and the league’s leading scorer broke the game open with a burst in the third quarter.

In the return engagement at Richfield, Ohio, Wilkens tried a new tack. He put pressure on the other four starters.

This time, the strategy worked. The four made only 5 of 20 shots, and before Coach Doug Collins could get in replacements, the Cavaliers were on a roll.

Midway through the third quarter, it was a rout, and Jordan, who had scored a point a minute (27 in 27), was removed to await another game.

Phil Hubbard led the Cavaliers with 23 points as their regular front line outscored the Bulls, 44-7.

Houston 115, Washington 92--Ralph Sampson’s legs don’t hurt anymore, and the big Rocket forward is putting the hurt on the opposition.

Sampson had 27 points and 20 rebounds at Houston to lead the Rockets to their ninth win in the last 10 games.

It was the 11th time this season that the Bullets have lost the second game of back-to-back games when the second game was on the road.

Moses Malone was only 5 for 16 for the Bullets and had only 13 points. In their win Friday night at home, Malone was needed for only 27 minutes.

Denver 132, Milwaukee 122--Alex English had a season-high 46 points, and Lafayette Lever recorded a league-leading seventh triple-double at Denver.

Lever had 25 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists to help the Nuggets win their third in a row.

San Antonio 108, New York 101--David Greenwood had a season-high 31 points and 15 rebounds at San Antonio to lead the Spurs.

Greenwood made 12 of his 17 shots from the field.

Patrick Ewing had 24 for the Knicks.

Sacramento 138, Detroit 113--Eddie Johnson came off the bench to score 19 of his 27 points in an eight-minute stretch of the second quarter at Sacramento.

Johnson, inserted at the start of the second quarter, helped turn a 34-24 lead into a rout.