NBA Roundup : Knicks Lose Another--and Look to Future

The New York Knicks completed their third consecutive horrendous season Saturday night by losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 122-113, at Richfield, Ohio.

In each of the three seasons, the Knicks failed to win 25 games. However, there is some slight hope that things are looking up for the downtrodden Knicks.

The main reason for optimism is Bernard King. After missing almost two full seasons because he had to have his left knee reconstructed, the 1984-85 scoring champion returned for the last six games.

Although he wears a brace on the knee and doesn’t have the quick first step that made him such a dangerous offensive threat, the 6-7 forward showed flashes of his old form.

In the last three games, King has averaged 30 points per game. He averaged 32.8 points to win the scoring championship.

Both King and Coach Bob Hill are certain he will play a major role in the team’s future. King will work on rehabilitating the knee during the summer and playing against NBA caliber competition.

“I don’t think there is any question he is the basis for the future of the team,” said Hill, who replaced Hubie Brown during the season and doesn’t know if he’ll return. “Bernard has a running mentality. He gets out right away. Before you can run the fast break, it has to come instinctively. They have to get used to thinking about running, so that next year, it comes naturally.”

In the Knicks’ finale, King played 45 minutes, making 11 of 24 shots and grabbing 8 rebounds.

The Cavaliers are another team looking forward to next season. Although they failed to make the playoffs, the Cavaliers went with three rookies in their starting lineup and expect it to pay dividends next season.

Two of the rookies, Brad Daugherty and John Williams, led a 41-point first quarter surge in this game that put the Knicks in a hole. Daugherty had 11 points and Williams 10 to help build a 14-point bulge.

Williams finished with 25 points, while Daugherty had 21 points and 10 rebounds. Ron Harper, the other rookie starter, is the Cavaliers’ leading scorer. He had 16 in the finale.

Gerald Wilkins scored 30 for the Knicks.

Indiana 112, New Jersey 103--Shortly before playing their last game of the season at East Rutherford, N.J., the Nets announced they had extended Coach Dave Wohl’s contract.

It didn’t exactly inspire them to end their losing ways, however. Chuck Person had 23 points and John Long 19, and the Pacers finished the season at .500 (41-41).

The victory assured the Pacers of meeting the loser of today’s game in Boston between the Celtics and Atlanta Hawks in the opening round of the playoffs.

Milwaukee 124, Detroit 110--Sidney Moncrief, hampered by injuries much of the last two seasons, is slowly rounding into playoff form.

Moncrief scored 19 points in the regular-season finale at Milwaukee to lead the Bucks to the victory they needed to give them 50 or more wins for each of the last seven seasons.

By losing, the Pistons missed a chance to set a club record with 53 victories. They settled for a record-tying 52.

Dallas 125, Sacramento 121--Mark Aguirre scored 24 points at Dallas to lead the Mavericks to their 55th victory. It is the most wins the Mavericks have had in a season.

The 38th sellout of the season enabled the Mavericks to set a club attendance record of 696,333. They may have trouble improving on that in the future because they sold all but 954 tickets.

Denver 126, Houston 117--Blair Rasmussen scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half at Denver as the Nuggets rallied to win. Rasmussen scored nine points in the first four minutes of the third quarter.

The Nuggets will play the Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs. Houston plays Utah in the first round.

Golden State 132, Seattle 127--The Warriors rallied in the fourth quarter at Seattle to assure themselves of at least a .500 finish.

If the Warriors beat the Clippers tonight, they will finish 12 games better than they did last season.