NBA ROUNDUP : Bird, Celtics No Match for Pistons, 103-86

The return of Larry Bird has made the Boston Celtics a much improved team. They appear almost ready to challenge the top teams in the NBA.

One thing the 6-9 forward has not been able to do yet is make the Celtics the outstanding road club they once were. Four years ago, they were the best road team in the NBA. Last season, with Bird missing all but six games, the Celtics were 10-31 away from Boston Garden.

Although the year away because of surgery on both feet has not affected Bird’s skills, the Celtics still can’t win on the road.

Dennis Rodman came off the bench to spark a third-quarter rally Saturday night at Auburn Hills, Mich., that enabled the Detroit Pistons to beat the Celtics, 103-86. It was the 25th consecutive homecourt victory for the NBA champions and the fourth loss in five road games for the Celtics.

The Pistons built a 54-39 halftime lead, but Bird, who finished with 22 points, led a Boston surge that cut the lead to 67-62. Then came Rodman. He scored five consecutive points and the Celtics never made it close again.

Coach Jimmy Rodgers prepared the Celtics for this one by using his regulars sparingly Friday night against Minnesota. The strategy worked. They didn’t get tired, they were simply outmanned.

Joe Dumars, who was 10 for 14 from the field, led the Pistons, winners of three in a row after a rough time on the road, with 27 points.

It was just a week ago that the Pistons lost to the Miami Heat. They seem to have straightened out at home. Friday night they trounced Milwaukee, 106-79.

“Beating teams that good by those scores indicates we’re back,” Coach Chuck Daly said.

San Antonio 110, New Jersey 95--One game of coming off the bench was all rookie David Robinson wanted.

The 7-1 former Navy star returned to the starting lineup at East Rutherford, N.J. He scored 23 points and had 15 rebounds to lead the Spurs to their fourth win in eight games.

The Spurs broke it open when Frank Brickowski scored six points in a 17-0 rally that extended a slim lead to 19 points in the second quarter.

Orlando 116, Philadelphia 103--Rick Mahorn and Charles Barkley were thrown out of the game as the Magic, led by Reggie Theus and Sam Vincent, ended a five-game losing streak in this game at Orlando.

Mahorn was ejected on technicals with 9:50 left and the outcome in doubt. But Barkley didn’t pick up his second technical until the final minute.

“We’ve lost to two expansion teams,” Barkley said. “Obviously, we’re better than they are.”

Atlanta 112, Golden State 96--The Celtics aren’t the only team with road troubles. The Warriors lost all four games on their trip East that ended in Atlanta.

Dominique Wilkins had 29 points for the Hawks and Cliff Levingston, filling in for injured center Moses Malone, added 21.

Dallas 100, Miami 99--Losing to the Heat in Miami is bad enough, but losing to the second-year Heat at home would be embarrassing.

The Mavericks avoided the problem when Rolando Blackman made a 16-foot jumper with 13 seconds left. With one second left, Miami’s Glen Rice missed a 15-footer.

Seattle 119, Chicago 110--Xavier McDaniel scored 16 points in the last quarter at Seattle to help the SuperSonics overcome a seven-point deficit.

The Bulls, playing their third game on a seven-game Western swing, seemed to tire in the stretch. Michael Jordan had 32 points, 15 in the first quarter.

New York 111, Minnesota 96--The Knicks have come to expect at least 20 points from Patrick Ewing and 11 rebounds from Charles Oakley. They’ve done that well in every game.

Ewing scored 26 points and Oakley had 13 rebounds at New York in a surprisingly tough win over the expansion team. Tony Campbell and Sam Mitchell each scored 29 points for the Timberwolves.

Denver 141, Houston 111--Alex English came out of a season-long slump at Denver, scoring 24 points in 25 minutes to lead the Nuggets’ rout of the Rockets.

English was 11 for 15 from the field and the Nuggets, after building a 72-54 halftime lead, eased to the victory.

Phoenix 118, Washington 107--The Bullets know all about the troubles on the road. When Armon Gilliam scored 12 points in the last 10 minutes at Phoenix to spark the Suns, the Bullets lost their fourth in a row away from home.

The score was tied 23 times before Eddie Johnson sank a jumper with 10:29 left to put the Suns ahead, 90-89. Gilliam’s spree finished the Bullets.

Phoenix playmaker Kevin Johnson injured his left hamstring early in the game and did not return.

Sacramento 107, Indiana 102--Rodney McCray scored seven of his 25 points in the last 83 seconds at Sacramento to lift the Kings to victory.