NBA Roundup : Nelson’s Mighty Mites Top Knicks for 6th Win in Row

Don Nelson qualifies as a miracle worker of sorts. What else can you say about a coach who takes a group of small professional basketball players and makes them winners?

Injuries to his big men have forced the coach of the Golden State Warriors to start the smallest team in many years in the National Basketball Assn.

His lineup consists of a 6-foot 8-inch forward, Larry Smith, at center, and 4 guards. Chris Mullin, 6-7, and Terry Teagle, 6-5, are the guards who start up front. Mitch Richmond, 6-5, and Winston Garland, 6-2, are in the backcourt.

It would seem that such a team could never win in the NBA. It can with Nelson in charge.

Those 5, with help from 7-7 Manute Bol, although he’s hobbling on a sore ankle, and 6-7 Rod Higgins, have been taking the league by storm.

Amazingly, Nelson’s mighty mites won their sixth game in a row Wednesday night when they outshot and outhustled the New York Knicks, 133-119, at Oakland.

When the Warriors were knocking off some other clubs at home, there were a few eyebrows raised. But beating the Knicks, leaders of the Atlantic Division, is something else.

Richmond, the rookie, Mullin and Garland accounted for 90 points, including 31 by Richmond, as the Warriors went in front early and held on doggedly against the much bigger Knicks.

The winning streak began shortly after Ralph Sampson, 7-4 center, was injured. First, they lost to lowly San Antonio Jan. 7. Then, 2 nights later, they beat Phoenix. In quick succession, they disposed of Dallas, the Clippers, Utah and Seattle. All but the Clippers were beaten at home.

Maybe, the true test won’t come until next week when they travel to the East, but already, the Warriors have attracted attention.

Philadelphia 115, Boston 104--Charles Barkley played but was below par, and it was the other forward, Ron Anderson, who took charge against the Celtics at Philadelphia.

Anderson scored 17 of his career-high 36 points in the fourth quarter as the 76ers wiped out a 3-point deficit and raced to victory.

The Celtics, who will not get injured star Larry Bird back for at least another month, fell to 16-20. They trail the 76ers by 4 1/2 games in the battle for third place in the Atlantic Division.

Detroit 103, New Jersey 90--Vinnie Johnson scored 4 points during a 13-1 spurt in the middle of the fourth quarter at Auburn Hills, Mich., to break the game open.

The Nets, who trailed most of the way, were behind by only 84-82 with 8:48 left. Then came the rally that wiped out their hopes. The Nets went almost 7 minutes without a basket.

The Pistons have been 15-1 in games when they held their opponents under 100 points.

Dallas 102, Denver 92--The Mavericks wasted no time showing the Nuggets who was boss at Dallas. With Mark Aguirre scoring 5 of the points, the Mavericks took off for a 16-2 spurt, and the Nuggets never made a game of it.

The Mavericks, who lost their first 7 games after Roy Tarpley, their sixth man, re-entered a drug clinic, have won 2 straight.

It was Denver’s seventh loss in a row on the road.

Milwaukee 118, Charlotte 106--Terry Cummings scored 26 points, 4 of them in a 15-4 third-quarter run at Milwaukee that enabled the Bucks to win for the seventh time in their last 8 games.

The Bucks, who led, 59-57, at halftime against the pesky Hornets, built the lead to 12 points after 3 periods. Then, Ricky Pierce made 5 consecutive shots to open the last quarter, and it was a rout.