NBA Roundup : It’s All Moses Malone as Bullets Win, 127-111

Moses Malone, who scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds the night before against the Chicago Bulls, came back for 38 and 17 Saturday night at Richfield, Ohio, to lead the Washington Bullets to a 127-111 victory over Cleveland.

Malone, who scored 26 of his points in the first half, was credited with only 4 assists. Several times, however, he set up Manute Bol and John Williams for easy baskets, hitting Bol inside the lane and whipping outlet passes to a fast-breaking Williams.

Williams scored 21 points and Bol 8, all in the fourth quarter. Jay Vincent added 18 for the Bullets.

John (Hot Rod) Williams had 21 points, and Phil Hubbard and Ron Harper added 20 each for Cleveland, which has lost four straight.

Dallas 121, Utah 107--The Mavericks won for the fifth straight time and set an NBA record by making 10 three-point shots, three coming from Mark Aguirre, who scored 28 points despite missing most of the fourth quarter with an ankle injury at Dallas.

The previous record for three-pointers was nine, held by three teams, including the Mavericks earlier this season. Utah’s Kelly Tripucka made two three-pointers, giving the teams a combined 12, also an NBA record.

The third quarter included 13 lead changes and ended in an 86-86 tie.

Atlanta 110, Chicago 97--The Hawks tied a team record with their 50th win in a season and moved two games ahead of Detroit in the Central Division with eight to play as Dominique Wilkins and Randy Wittman scored 24 points each at Atlanta.

Chicago, playing for the fourth time in five nights, lost for the fifth straight time on the road. Michael Jordan scored 31 points for the Bulls, but he made just 9 of 24 shots. Charles Oakley added 14 points, and reserve forward Pete Myers scored 13, all in the fourth quarter.

Atlanta held a 90-70 lead entering the final quarter and opened up a 29-point margin midway through the final period.

New York 112, Indiana 108--The Knicks played without Trent Tucker (flu) and Louis Orr (sore back), but Bill Cartwright, playing his third game since returning from an injury, responded with a season-high 32 points, and rookie Kenny Walker added 26 to lead the way at New York.

Cartwright, who was sidelined with tendinitis, hit 9 of 11 shots and 14 of 15 free throws. He also had 11 rebounds. Walker made 10 of 11 field goals and 6 of 7 free throws.

“My conditioning is a lot better, but I was real tired in the fourth quarter,” Cartwright said. “This is more minutes than I’ve played in a long time.”

Milwaukee 112, New Jersey 102--Terry Cummings and John Lucas each scored 24 points at Milwaukee as the Bucks held off the Nets.

New Jersey used a 9-0 run, which included two three-point shots by Albert King, to pull within 108-102. But Lucas and Ricky Pierce each made two free throws for the final margin.

Sacramento 120, Houston 108--The Rockets, who have already clinched a playoff spot, fell below the .500 mark at 37-38 as the Kings won at Sacramento.

Otis Thorpe had 28 points and 16 rebounds, and Reggie Theus scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half, including 15 in the third quarter, for the Kings. Robert Reid scored 22, Akeem Olajuwon had 21 and Ralph Sampson added 17 for the Rockets.

Portland 126, Seattle 123--Clyde Drexler hit a 19-foot jumper with 39 seconds remaining to give the Trail Blazers a one-point lead, and Terry Porter sealed the win with two free throws and two steals in the final seconds at Seattle.