NBA Roundup : Jordan Scores 38, Hits Key Free Throws as Bulls Beat Celtics

The Boston Celtics, struggling without Larry Bird, slowed Michael Jordan on Tuesday night at Chicago, but they couldn’t stop him.

Before Bird was injured and had to have surgery on both feet, Jordan scored 52 points in a Bull victory at Boston.

This time, Jordan, the two-time National Basketball Assn. scoring champion, was held to 38 points. But he scored 6 of them on free throws in the final 2 minutes to give the Bulls a 105-100 victory.

The Celtics started last season without another ace, Kevin McHale, but won 10 of their first 13 games. They are having a tougher time without Bird.

Their record, third best in the Atlantic Division, fell to 8-9. The Celtics, who hope to get Bird back by mid-March, may have trouble staying close to New York or Philadelphia. They trail the Knicks and 76ers by 3 games.

Sam Vincent, the Bulls’ other guard, had a season-high 23 points, including 10 in the third quarter to keep Chicago close.

Vincent put the Bulls ahead for good, 87-86, on a driving layup with 9 minutes left, then followed with a jumper. He and Jordan made sure the lead held up.

In addition to being without Bird, the Celtics were missing guard Danny Ainge, who has the flu, and injured Dennis Johnson.

Reggie Lewis came off the bench to score 33 points and keep the Celtics in the game. McHale had 26 points and 10 rebounds.

“Vincent was the difference,” McHale said. “His outburst in the final quarter turned the game around.”

Milwaukee 109, Detroit 84--Terry Cummings scored 13 of his 21 points in the third quarter at Milwaukee to turn around a tight game.

The Pistons, who lost for the fourth time in 17 games, scored only 31 points in the last 24 minutes. They were 5 for 22 in the third quarter, when Cummings was on a roll.

“Our defense finally came together,” Coach Del Harris said. “We were fifth in the league last year. Tonight’s was a defensive victory.”

New York 124, Denver 123--Michael Adams scored a career-high 35 points at New York, but his missed free throw with no time left in overtime cost the Nuggets.

Charles Oakley had a 3-point play with 3 seconds left in overtime to give New York a 124-121 lead. But, with 3 seconds left, Mark Jackson fouled Fat Lever. Lever made the first shot and missed the second on purpose.

The 5-foot 10-inch Adams slipped inside to grab the rebound, and Jackson fouled him. Adams made the first one, but he missed the second.

Atlanta 123, Sacramento 113--Dominique Wilkins spoiled any hopes the Kings had for an upset at Atlanta when he scored 10 points in the first 3:11 of the third quarter.

Wilkins finished with 26 points, and his spurt built a 75-58 lead and enabled the Hawks to improve their home record to 8-0. On the road, the Kings (2-12) are 0-6.

Hawk power forward Kevin Willis, who has been out all season with a broken bone in his left foot, was suspended for missing team functions and rehabilitation therapy.

“The last straw was tonight when he missed the entire game,” General Manager Stan Kasten said.

Portland 97, New Jersey 93--Kevin Duckworth, in one of his best performances of the season, outplayed Joe Barry Carroll at East Rutherford, N.J., as the Trail Blazers handed the Nets their fifth consecutive loss.

Duckworth had 26 points and 12 rebounds. He scored 6 points in an 11-4 rally in the fourth quarter that put the Trail Blazers in front to stay. Carroll, making only 4 of 15 field goal attempts, had 15 points and 9 rebounds in 38 minutes.

Houston 106, Cleveland 105--Akeem Olajuwon scored on a turnaround jumper with 1 second remaining at Houston to give the Rockets the victory.

Olajuwon, playing one of his best games, had 30 points and 15 rebounds. He scored all 6 Houston points in the last 3 minutes.

The Rockets led, 103-92, with 2:41 to play and almost blew it. Brad Daugherty had 6 of the points as Cleveland outscored Houston, 13-1, before Olajuwon pulled out the victory.

Seattle 112, San Antonio 107--Dale Ellis, the NBA’s second leading scorer, put on 2 fourth-quarter spurts at San Antonio to lead the SuperSonics to their third win in a row.

Ellis had a 7-point run in the middle of the quarter to put the SuperSonics ahead of the stubborn Spurs.

And, when the Spurs regained the lead, Ellis scored 4 points in a 6-0 run at the end of the game. Ellis finished with 28 points, nearly his season average.

Phoenix 130, Washington 92--Armon Gilliam scored 14 of his 25 points in a 26-5 second-period run at Phoenix that enabled the Suns to gain their fourth win in a row.

The 26-5 rally was part of a 40-11 period that turned the game into a rout.

The Bullets made only 12 of 42 shots and the Suns led, 74-37, at halftime. At one time, the Suns were in front, 108-57.

Golden State 114, Utah 103--Chris Mullin scored 31 points and Ralph Sampson had a season-high 17 points and 11 rebounds at Oakland.

Sampson, whose ailing knees had limited him to an average of 7 points a game and 33% shooting, made 6 of 9 shots and had 4 of his team’s 12 blocks. He received a standing ovation when he fouled out with 3:48 remaining.