NBA Roundup : Fresh Off a Win Over 76ers, Celtics Are Breathing Down Lakers’ Neck

Apparently, the Boston Celtics have found a fountain of youth.

A year ago when the playoffs began they looked old and tired. They struggled through the early rounds and were exhausted when they played the Lakers for the championship and were overwhelmed.

Although virtually the same group is a year older, the Celtics are moving toward the playoffs this season fresh, eager and playing better than any other team in the National Basketball Assn.

It may be a last gasp, but the Celtics seem intent on making certain that no team repeats as champion.

Playing almost flawless basketball, the Celtics won their seventh in a row and all but wrecked the 76ers’ playoff hopes with a comfortable 117-108 victory Sunday at Philadelphia.

The Celtics’ powerful front line of Kevin McHale, Larry Bird and Robert Parish simply destroyed the 76ers with their devastating shooting. They accounted for 74 points, 28 by Bird. In fact, brilliant passing enabled all the Celtic starters to get easy, open shots and they responded by making 45 of 70 shot attempts, for 64.3% from the field.

The 76ers have been in a battle with four other teams for the last three postseason berths in the East. But, with their fourth loss in a row at home, the 76ers are in trouble. Eight teams qualify, and the 76ers are 10th, 1 1/2 games out of the last playoff spot.

Charles Barkley has been trying to carry the load, with both Maurice Cheeks and Cliff Robinson ailing. Cheeks, bothered by dizzy spells since catching an elbow from New York’s Pat Ewing last week, played. But Robinson sprained an ankle Friday night and was out again.

Barkley had 28 points and 12 rebounds, but when the burly forward goes bulling his way to the basket the 76ers lose all semblance of teamwork.

The Celtics credited blowing a 30-point lead March 25 at home against the 76ers with their performance Sunday.

“We’ve been playing well since then. We’re concentrating on defense,” said Bird as the Celtics pulled within 2 1/2 games of the Lakers in the bid for the best overall record.

Dennis Johnson, whose outside shot is back after missing for almost a year, said that blowing the 75-45 lead made the Celtics realize they had to concentrate.

“When anybody loses like that, it better tighten you up mentally,” the veteran guard said. “We weren’t playing championship-caliber basketball, and that’s what we want to do.”

With the Lakers struggling to regain mid-season form after injuries to Magic Johnson and Michael Cooper, things are looking good for the Celtics.

They have, in Fred Roberts, Jim Paxson and Mark Acres, solid reserves and any day they expect to have Bill Walton ready to start his season. If Walton is able to play some, it will be a big lift, especially psychologically, for the playoffs.

The 76ers have made the playoffs for 12 years in a row, the longest current streak. The streak seems certain to end.

“Well, it’s not time to pack the bags yet,” Barkley said. “But, we’re at a low point.

“They’re just a great team. They have five components. But we’re not dead. We’ll give it everything we have.”

Cleveland 119, New Jersey 105--A sensational shooting performance at East Rutherford, N.J., spearheaded by Brad Daugherty, led the Cavaliers closer to a playoff berth.

Daugherty sank 10 of his 12 shots to trigger an NBA season-high 68.5% shooting mark for the Cavaliers.

Their sixth win in the last seven games gave the Cavaliers a 37-39 record. They are currently in sixth place, two full games ahead of seventh-place Indiana. The Cavaliers have missed the playoffs the last two seasons.

“We knew the Nets had nothing to lose, so we tried to keep our players pumped up,” Coach Len Wilkens of the Cavaliers said. “I think we’re peaking now. We are where we want to be.”

The Cavaliers, who jumped in front, 31-18, after one period and were never headed, made 50 of 73 field-goal attempts.

Coach Willis Reed of the Nets had his own explanation for it. “Their shooting was good but we didn’t play much defense,” he said.

New York 118, Washington 98--It was an extremely important road win for the Knicks in their drive toward the playoffs. They opened with a deadly full-court press at Landover, Md., and, with Mark Jackson scoring 11 of his 18 points, built a 61-43 halftime lead.

The Bullets never got closer than 16 points in the second half.

With the victory, the Knicks pulled into a tie for eighth place, the final playoff spot, with Washington. Both are 34-41. Amazingly, the Knicks, who were 3-30 on the road, have won 4 of their last 5 away from home.

Both teams have seven games left. The Knicks, who will play the Bullets at home next Friday night, have an easier schedule. While the Bullets play Atlanta twice, Detroit, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Boston, the Knicks play Atlanta and Detroit, Indiana twice, Chicago and Milwaukee.

The other team in the battle for the final three spots is Indiana, which is 34-40 and has to play 8 games in the last two weeks.

Sacramento 121, Golden State 115--Harold Pressley scored a career-high 31 points, including 14 consecutive free throws to lead the Kings to a victory at Sacramento.

It was the eighth loss in a row for the Warriors.

Otis Smith, who scored 29 points, made a three-pointer to cut the Kings’ lead to 117-115, with 15 seconds left. But Reggie Theus sank two free throws to put it out of reach.