NBA Roundup : Malone, Theus Lead Hawks Over Bucks

With each passing game, Moses Malone and Reggie Theus are showing their value to the Atlanta Hawks.

After a slow start, the Hawks are beginning to look like the team many experts picked to win the National Basketball Assn. championship.

They were chosen largely because of the addition of Malone, still one of the top rebounders, and Theus, a sharpshooting guard.

Malone had 29 points and 12 rebounds Friday night at Atlanta, and Theus sank 2 free throws with 5 seconds left to clinch a 115-112 victory over Milwaukee.

The Bucks, who beat Detroit twice and the Lakers once in recent games, just missed adding the Hawks to their list of victims.

Terry Cummings, who scored 32 points despite missing 16 of his 26 field-goal attempts, paced a 7-0 run that gave the Bucks a 112-111 lead with 20 seconds to play. But Glenn Rivers sank a 15-footer with 17 seconds left, and Theus made his free throws.

The Bucks appeared to have tied it when Sidney Moncrief hit a 3-point basket, but it was ruled that the game ended before the veteran guard had launched his bomb.

The Hawks, who got 30 points from Dominique Wilkins, have won 3 in a row and are only 1 1/2 games out of first place in the tough Central Division race.

“It was like a contest between two tired fighters,” Atlanta Coach Mike Fratello said. “We had both been playing some tough games lately and neither had much energy.”

Milwaukee Coach Del Harris couldn’t fault his players.

“They just had the last shot in their house,” he said. “My team has been playing awfully well. We have played tough games, and I think it finally took its toll.”

Philadelphia 114, New Jersey 106--The Nets had hopes that their stirring overtime win over the Lakers the other night meant they had turned the corner for the season.

By the end of the third quarter at East Rutherford, N.J., it appeared they were on their way to another victory, holding an 89-83 lead.

But the Nets suddenly lost their shooting touch, and former teammate Mike Gminski and Charles Barkley led the 76ers on a 17-0 spurt that put the game out of reach.

After shooting 60% through nearly three quarters, the Nets made only 6 of 20 shots the rest of the way.

Barkley had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists. Three of the assists and 4 of the points came in the 17-0 surge.

Dallas 107, Charlotte 98--Although former Laker Kurt Rambis had 21 rebounds in 35 minutes at Charlotte, the expansion Hornets were no match for the Mavericks.

Sam Perkins had 21 points and 14 rebounds as the Mavericks pulled within a half-game of first place in the Midwest Division.

Dallas built a 65-52 lead, before Kelly Tripucka, who scored 21 points, paced a rally that cut the lead to 77-74 late in the third period, but the Mavericks scored 6 in a row to get out of danger.

Chicago 100, Indiana 93--After chewing out his teammates for giving up in a game against Atlanta Tuesday night, Michael Jordan took charge of this one at Chicago.

In the last 74 seconds, he made 4 free throws, hit a jumper, blocked a shot and made a steal to save the win over the pesky Pacers.

Jordan finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 6 steals in a typical performance.

A late Pacer rally was sparked by former UCLA players Reggie Miller and Stuart Gray. Miller scored 22 points; Gray had 8 points and 8 rebounds in 26 minutes.

Phoenix 132, Portland 125--Armon Gilliam is a big reason why the Suns are in the fight for second place behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division.

Gilliam scored a career-high 41 points at Phoenix as the Suns moved into a tie for second with Seattle.

It was the Suns’ sixth win in a row and their first over the Trail Blazers in their last 8 meetings.