NBA Roundup : Vinnie Johnson Paces Piston Win

Many observers believe that Vinnie Johnson, backup guard of the Detroit Pistons, is the best shooter in the National Basketball Assn.

Although many players post better shooting percentages, there is nobody who can come off the bench and spark a rally any better.

Friday night at Philadelphia, Johnson entered the game in the second period with the Pistons trailing the 76ers, 36-30. Johnson scored 16 points in a 25-17 rally that put the Pistons in front to stay. Although he played only 29 minutes, the 6-foot 2-inch sharpshooter scored 27 points, sinking 13 of 19 shots.

Bill Laimbeer took over in the third period, scoring 10 points in a 19-4 spurt that broke the game open. The Pistons went on to win, 113-94.

Johnson had 76er Coach Matt Guokas talking to himself.

“We already double-team him,” Guokas told United Press International. “I don’t know if we can triple-team him. We’ve tried a lot of things over the years, and nothing seems to work.”

A nine-year NBA veteran, Johnson played in near anonymity until last season, when he helped make the Pistons a contender. With Johnson playing an important role, the Pistons all but knocked the Boston Celtics out of the playoffs.

“We have been a little out of sync,” said Johnson, who also came off the bench to lead a winning rally in the season opener. “So, I was glad to be of some help. I got us started, but the big guys took charge of the boards in the third quarter and we put it all together.”

Charles Barkley, playing despite a back injury, had 31 points and 17 rebounds and kept the 76ers in the game for more than a half.

Cliff Robinson, who ended his holdout and did not practice, played 25 minutes for the 76ers, scoring 6 points and grabbing 6 rebounds.

Boston 128, Cleveland 114--Although this game at Boston was only the fifth of the season for the unbeaten Celtics, they have already pulled out to a two-game lead.

Larry Bird had another big game, scoring 34 points and falling just one rebound short of a triple-double. But it was Dennis Johnson who rallied the Celtics in the second half.

Johnson scored 17 points in the second half, 11 in a 34-22 third-quarter spurt that wiped out a 10-point deficit. Johnson had 13 assists.

The Cavaliers, playing without guard Ron Harper, their best player, were led by Dell Curry. Curry, given his first chance as a starter, had 25 points and 7 assists.

It was the Cavaliers’ 23rd consecutive defeat at Boston Garden. They last won there on Oct. 13, 1978.

“We had to fight, sweat it out,” said Celtic Coach K.C. Jones, forced to use four of his starters for 42 minutes. “It was awful physical out there. They played great defense out there. They played beautiful, and we played ugly.”

Washington 108, New York 101--In this battle between two winless Atlantic Division rivals at Landover, Md., the Bullets won by setting an NBA record for most free throws in a game.

The Bullets made 60 of 69 foul shots. The previous record of 59 was set by Syracuse in an overtime game Nov. 24, 1949. Two teams, Boston (1954) and Chicago (1970), made 56 in regulation games.

The Bullets led, 62-50, at halftime, although the Knicks had made seven more field goals.

New Knicks’ Coach Rick Pitino, upset as he watched the Bullets’ steady procession to the line, was ejected shortly before halftime when he picked up his second technical foul.

With 32 out of 36 from the line in the first half, the Bullets also set a record.

Moses Malone scored 30 points, 18 of them from the line, to lead the Bullets.

Bernard King, admittedly nervous facing his old mates, was 3 for 18, but was 8 for 8 from the line.

Seattle 103, Dallas 95--Dale Ellis had 22 points and rookie Derrick McKey 18 at Dallas, but it wasn’t until the Mavericks went scoreless for more than five minutes that this game was decided.

The SuperSonics led, 90-89, with 6:38 to play. The Mavericks did not score again until there was only a minute remaining and the game was out of hand.

Chicago 103, New Jersey 85--Michael Jordan scored 12 points in a row in the second quarter at Chicago to break open a close game and give the unbeaten Bulls their fourth victory.

The Nets (0-3) jumped in front by seven before Jordan, who finished with 36 points in 35 minutes, and rookies Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant led the Bulls’ rally.

Pippen with 15 and Grant with 12 were the only other Bulls in double figures.

Utah 109, Phoenix 92--Since being beaten by the Clipper.jTuesday night, the Jazz has played excellent basketball.

With Karl Malone scoring 23 points and John Stockton contributing 13 points and 12 assists at Salt Lake City, Utah rolled to its second win in a row.

Darryl Dawkins, his suspension lifted before the game, suited up but did not play for the Jazz.