NBA Roundup : Bucks Staying Competitive in Central Division

Everything considered, the Milwaukee Bucks’ 17-13 record is really not too bad.

In fact, for a club that lost its coach, Don Nelson, in a dispute with management, and hasn’t put its best lineup on the floor this season, it is a downright good beginning.

The Bucks have been without guard Ricky Pierce, their No. 2 scorer last season, all year because of a salary squabble. There have been others, including veteran guard Sidney Moncrief, in and out of the lineup because of injuries. Yet, the Bucks, playing in the Central Division, toughest in the league, have a winning record.

Moncrief, playing a seventh game in a row for the first time in more than a year, and Terry Cummings, who has been bothered by a sore back, led the the Bucks to a 105-87 win over the New Jersey Nets, a hapless team on the road, Sunday at Milwaukee.

Moncrief, who has missed 20 games because of knee problems, had a season-high 17 points and Cummings 16 points and 9 rebounds as the Bucks handed the Nets their 13th loss in a row away from home.

Once considered the best defensive player in the NBA, knee problems have all but wiped out the last two seasons for the 30-year-old Moncrief. He missed 43 games last season and is just beginning to make a contribution.

“I went 33 minutes today and it (the knee on which he had surgery Oct. 20) feels pretty good,” Moncrief said. “For the first time in a long time, I feel encouraged about my chances of helping the team.”

Cummings has only missed five games, but an aching back has made it impossible for him to play at top form most of the season.

Under the circumstances, Del Harris, successor to the popular Nelson, has done a notable job.

“We were just happy to get a victory,” Harris said of his team that had lost four of its previous five. “We would have taken one over a junior high team today. We needed a win.”

The injury worries haven’t subsided, either. Center Randy Breuer missed his first game because of a rib injury. It is not believed to be serious.

Sacramento 109, Seattle 108--It was only the ninth victory in 32 games for Bill Russell’s team, but it was the way they did it at Sacramento that gave the Kings a good feeling.

The hot-shooting SuperSonics built a 70-53 lead four minutes into the third quarter, but Reggie Theus and Harold Pressley sparked a stirring rally that brought them even with two minutes left.

Pressley’s 20-foot jumper gave the Kings the lead for good, 107-105, with 74 seconds left.

But, it wasn’t until Xavier McDaniel’s 14-foot baseline jumper at the buzzer bounced off the rim that the Kings had the victory.