NBA Roundup : Dantley Again Is a Key Factor as Pistons Win

Despite persistent rumors that he’s about to be traded, Adrian Dantley continues to play well for the Detroit Pistons.

Dantley scored 33 points Friday night, leading the Pistons to a 124-106 victory over the 76ers at Philadelphia.

The Pistons never trailed as they won their third straight and seventh out of the last 8.

Dantley had scored 20 points in each of the previous 2 games.

“I got it going pretty well,” Dantley said. “The main thing is that we won the game.”

Dantley, who reportedly got into a shouting match with Piston Coach Chuck Daly recently, has been rumored going to the Dallas Mavericks in a trade for Mark Aguirre.

Of the rumors, he said: “I don’t like them, but they haven’t affected my play. I’d rather not talk about them.”

Dantley scored only 4 points in the first half, but was 11 for 11 from the field as he scored 29 points in the second half.

Charles Barkley, who missed 3 games with a sprained ankle, returned for Philadelphia and led the 76ers with 27 points and 15 rebounds.

Boston 117, Washington 108--Reggie Lewis scored 32 points at Boston to help the Celtics climb back to .500 for the first time since Dec. 21.

The Celtics (22-22) built a 17-point lead midway through the third quarter, survived a 19-4 run by the Bullets and held on for their fifth straight home victory. Three straight baskets by Dennis Johnson, after Washington had closed to within 106-100 with 2:40 remaining, helped Boston put the game away.

With Boston leading, 80-63, early in the third quarter, Washington’s Jeff Malone made a jump shot to trigger a 10-0 run and the 19-4 surge. Malone, who had 16 of his 32 points in the third period, capped the run with a pair of baskets, cutting the deficit to 84-82.

Cleveland 110, Sacramento 94--Ron Harper had 28 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists to help the Cavaliers win their 14th straight home game at Richfield, Ohio.

Cleveland trailed by 3 points at halftime, but outscored the Kings, 68-49, in the second half, with Harper and Mark Price each scoring 16 points.

The Kings, who lost their fifth straight, led, 53-46, after LaSalle Thompson made a layup with 8:50 to play in the third quarter. Price then made an 18-foot jumper to start a 24-9 run, during which he scored 10 points and Harper scored 8, putting the Cavaliers ahead, 70-62.

Dallas 121, Phoenix 117--Mark Aguirre returned after a 1-game absence to score 36 points and carry the Mavericks past the Suns at Dallas.

Aguirre, who said he had sore ankles and refused to play Tuesday night against Utah, scored 16 points in the third quarter to turn the boos at Reunion Arena to cheers.

Guard Derek Harper had 24 points for the Mavericks, who won only their fourth game in the last 16. The Suns had won 5 of their last 6 games.

Charlotte 108, Seattle 106--Tim Kempton scored on a layup with 2 seconds left to give the Hornets the victory at Charlotte, N.C.

With the score tied, 106-106, the Hornets put the ball in play with 22 seconds left. Robert Reid, who had 28 points, found Kempton open under the basket in the decisive scoring play.

The Hornets had taken a 106-102 lead on Reid’s 15-foot jumper with 1:13 to play and 2 free throws by Kurt Rambis. Seattle tied the score on a three-point play by Dale Ellis, who led the Sonics with 27 points, and Nate McMillan’s free throw with 22 seconds left.

But

Houston 105, Chicago 98--Eric (Sleepy) Floyd made 3 free throws in the last 26 seconds to clinch the win for the Rockets at Houston after the Bulls had gone on an 11-5 run to pull to within 102-98 with 58 seconds left.

Akeem Olajuwon, who scored 8 of the Rockets’ first 10 points in the fourth quarter, led Houston with 20 points. Floyd had 19.

Michael Jordan led the Bulls with 29 points and 10 assists.

Milwaukee 109, Indiana 91--Terry Cummings had 24 points and 22 rebounds, while reserve Ricky Pierce scored 17 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Bucks at Indianapolis.

Assistant coach Frank Hamblen filled in for Del Harris, who injured his back trying to help an elderly man who fell Thursday night. Harris is scheduled to return to Milwaukee to be examined today when the Bucks play at Washington.

Utah 129, New Jersey 101--Karl Malone scored 28 points and the Jazz reserves contributed 65 points, including 20 by Thurl Bailey and a career-high 15 by rookie center Jose Ortiz, in the rout at Salt Lake City.

Malone also had 11 rebounds and had a career-high 9 assists as the Jazz improved its home record to 17-4.