NBA Roundup : Missing Thomas, Pistons Don’t Miss Beat

Coach Chuck Daly of the Detroit Pistons was moaning how unfair it was to deprive his team of its playmaker for two games in the crucial stretch of the regular season.

It now turns out the Pistons, who lead the National Basketball Assn. in victories, fights and defense, will be without Isiah Thomas for more than the two games he was suspended.

Thomas, in trading punches with Bill Cartwright of the Chicago Bulls Friday night, broke a finger on his left hand and may miss the rest of the regular season.

For the moment, at least, the Pistons don’t need Thomas. For one thing they have the most depth in the league. Moreover, Joe Dumars can play point guard and Vinnie Johnson the shooting backcourt position.

Dumars, a key cog in a stellar defense, played a powerful 45 minutes Sunday night at Auburn Hills, Mich., to lead the Pistons to a 100-91 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Dumars had 13 assists and helped to limit the Bucks to 46.8% shooting from the field.

Johnson, starting in place of Thomas, was nine for 13, scoring 18 points.

It was a typically rough, Piston-type game. The Bucks lost two regulars. Paul Pressey dislocated a shoulder and Larry Krystkowiak suffered a knee injury. Neither injury is believed to be serious.

John Long, who has not played much, becomes the Pistons’ third guard. He contributed nine points in 18 minutes.

New York 94, Washington 92--When Coach Rick Pitino threatened to shake up the Knicks’ lineup after they lost to New Jersey, Gerald Wilkins thought he might be one to sit down.

Instead of a shake-up, Pitino warned his guards that if they didn’t go to the boards in this game at Landover, Md., they were coming out in a hurry.

Wilkins, the largely unheralded brother of Dominique Wilkins, took the coach at his word. He scored 19 points, including the last four, and, had a career-high 14 rebounds as the Knicks ended the Bullets’ 15-game home-winning streak.

The loss dropped the Bullets’ 1 1/2 games behind Boston in the battle for the final East playoff spot.

Atlanta 108, Chicago 100--With sharp-shooting Craig Hodges and Scottie Pippen out with injuries and center Bill Cartwright sitting out a suspension, the Bulls didn’t have much to go with Michael Jordan.

So, the Hawks put extra pressure on the brilliant guard. It didn’t really work because Jordan scored 40 points and had 10 rebounds and 10 assists. But the Bulls didn’t get the outside shooting from Dave Corzine they needed.

Corzine, after missing outside shots he generally makes, quit shooting at Atlanta and the Bulls’ offense fell apart.

The Hawks lead the Bulls by one game in the battle for fourth place in the Central Division.

Cleveland 122, Charlotte 116--Mark Price had 35 points, including a club-record 18 for 18 from the foul line at Richfield, Ohio, and the Cavaliers handed the Hornets their eighth loss in a row.

The Cavaliers trailed, 70-61, at halftime, but outscored the expansion team at the line, 16-2, in the third quarter to take the lead. They didn’t put the Hornets away until Price passed to Brad Daugherty for a dunk with 15 seconds left.

Portland 120, Denver 114--The Trail Blazers moved two games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks in their drive to win the final playoff spot in the West, but it wasn’t easy.

The Blazers built a 22-point lead in the third quarter and led by 16 going into the last quarter. But Fat Lever, with a three-point binge, led a 25-10 spurt in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 108-107.

Terry Porter made a baseline jumper and Jerome Kersey tapped in a rebound to put Portland in charge again.