NBA Roundup : Pistons Throw Rodman at Bulls in 113-102 Win

For a player without a shooting touch, Dennis Rodman has done rather well in the National Basketball Assn.

When he is able to harness a tendency to take wild, impossible shots, the agile 6-foot-8 third-year pro has played a prominent role in the success of the Detroit Pistons.

Rodman usually plays forward, but he can also play in the backcourt. As the sixth man, the former Southeastern Oklahoma star gives the Pistons speed, quickness and defensive strength.

In one of his top efforts this season, Rodman, a superb offensive rebounder, came off the bench in the second quarter to spur the Pistons to a 113-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls Sunday at Auburn Hills, Mich.

The Pistons trailed, 31-28, after a quarter. But Rodman teamed with Vinnie Johnson, whose scoring kept the Pistons alive in the first 12 minutes, to turn the game around in the second quarter.

Rodman had 10 points and eight rebounds, five on the offensive end, in the second period and the Pistons built a 59-50 lead. The Bulls never got even again.

In the last quarter, Rodman showed his versatility. He took on the job of guarding the magnificent Michael Jordan and did a job on the Bulls’ star. In the middle of the fourth quarter, after the Bulls cut the lead to 83-79, Rodman held Jordan to one basket in 5:30. When none of the other Bulls could score at all during that time, the Pistons built back their comfortable lead.

The Pistons are 4-0 against the Bulls this season and have kept Jordan well below his average, thanks in part to Rodman’s defense. Jordan scored 28 points in this one, but only 92 in the four defeats.

Rodman, taking no shots beyond six or seven feet, was six for eight and finished with 13 rebounds in 34 minutes. Amazingly, Rodman, a lifetime 55% free-throw shooter, was four for four from the line.

Adrian Dantley, who suddenly has picked up his game since the rumor started he would be traded to Dallas for Mark Aguirre, contributed 21 points to the Detroit cause. In the last four games, all victories, Dantley has scored 94 points.

Jordan also had 10 assists, but if his teammates had been able to make layups, he would have had at least five more.

Cleveland 110, Charlotte 91--Classy guard Ron Harper is taking out his frustration over not being selected for Sunday’s All-Star game on the Cavaliers’ opponents.

Harper, making 10 of 13 shots, scored 25 points at Charlotte to lead the Cavaliers to an easy victory. The Cavaliers improved the NBA’s best record to 34-10.

“Ron was disappointed,” Cleveland Coach Len Wilkens said. “I told him to let every game be his statement that ‘I deserved it. I’m All-Star quality.’ He’s doing just that.”

Seattle 89, Boston 87--Dale Ellis scored eight of his 30 points in the last 4 minutes at Boston to get the SuperSonics even and Derrick McKey sank two free throws with 6 seconds left to win it.

In the last 44 seconds the Celtics, who had won five in a row, lost the ball on a 10-second backcourt violation to set up the tying basket by Ellis, and were forced into a jump ball. McKey grabbed the jump ball in a scramble and was fouled.

Kevin McHale scored 31 points for the Celtics, who scored just one point in the last 4 minutes.

Danny Ainge made four of seven shots from three-point range to lend some strength to the Celtics’ weak attack.

Miami 102, Sacramento 98--Jan Sundvold scored eight of his 20 points in the last 3 minutes at Miami to bring the Heat from behind to their fifth victory in 43 games.

The Heat trailed, 94-90, when Sundvold, the league’s leading three-point shooter, sank a three-pointer to begin the winning rally.

The Heat built a 17-point lead in the third period and blew it before Sundvold led the winning rally.

Houston 124, Denver 112--Purvis Short scored eight of his 23 points in the last 6 minutes at Houston to thwart the Nuggets’ late rally.

Short was one of eight Rockets who scored in double figures as the Rockets increased their lead in the Midwest Division to a half game.

The Nuggets, who trailed by 24 points in the second period, pulled to within nine early in the fourth quarter.