NBA Roundup : Rockets Give Fitch His 700th Win

Houston’s Bill Fitch became the fifth coach in National Basketball Assn. history to reach 700 regular-season victories Thursday night as Akeem Olajuwon scored 37 points and the Rockets coasted to a 121-99 win over the New Jersey Nets at East Rutherford, N.J.

“I told the guys the next 700 will be with their grandchildren,” said the 52-year-old Fitch, who joined Red Auerbach, Jack Ramsay, Dick Motta and Gene Shue in the NBA’s 700 club. Auerbach won 938 games, all with the Boston Celtics.

“It’s more important that this is our 26th victory of the season,” Fitch said. “Seven-hundred wins is an individual accomplishment that owners, great players and general managers make happen. It’s a great life, and on top of it I get paid for it.”

No. 700 was actually one of the easy ones for Fitch, who had 304 victories in nine seasons at Cleveland, 242 more and an NBA title with Boston, and has 154 in 3 1/2 seasons in Houston.

Olajuwon scored 24 points in the first half as the Rockets jumped to a 69-55 lead.

Washington 121, Denver 115--Moses Malone scored 38 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, and the Bullets blew a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter before rallying for a win at Denver.

It was the first time all season the Bullets won after playing the night before. They had lost 12 previous games under similar circumstances. The victory moved them within 1 1/2 games of second-place Philadelphia in the Atlantic Division.

Detroit 113, Cleveland 109--Adrian Dantley scored 25 points and sank 2 free throws with 34 seconds left in the game to break a 109-109 tie as the Pistons edged the Cavaliers at Richfield, Ohio.

Isiah Thomas scored 27 points, Bill Laimbeer had 23 and Vinnie Johnson had 21 to help Detroit, (31-16) move a first place tie with Atlanta in the Central Division. Thomas added 15 assists and Laimbeer 15 rebounds.

Sacramento 129, Dallas 125--Guard Derek Smith scored six points in the final 37 seconds as the Kings beat Dallas at Sacramento to break a six-game losing streak and give Jerry Reynolds his first NBA coaching victory. Mark Aguirre scored 17 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter, rallying Dallas.

Reggie Theus led the Kings with 24 points and 11 assists as Reynolds improved to 1-1 since taking over on an interim basis for the fired Phil Johnson.

Boston 134, Golden State 112--Danny Ainge scored 24 points as the Celtics beat the Warriors at Oakland.

Larry Bird scored 22 points for Boston. Kevin McHale and center Robert Parish each finished with 20.

The Celtics have beaten Golden State eight straight times.

Milwaukee 106, Seattle 104-- Center Jack Sikma tipped in a missed shot at the buzzer as the Bucks edged the SuperSonics at Milwaukee.

Ricky Pierce scored 30 points for the Bucks, who withstood a late Seattle rally led by Tom Chambers, who had 32 points, including 14 points in the fourth quarter.