NBA ROUNDUP : Portland Takes Over Best Mark

Clyde Drexler scored 19 of his 25 points in the first half and Buck Williams had a season-high 23 as the Trail Blazers rolled over the Golden State Warriors, 123-110, at Portland, Ore., for their seventh consecutive victory.

The victory, combined with the Lakers’ loss to the Detroit Pistons, gave the Trail Blazers (12-3) first place in the Pacific Division, the best record in the NBA and the fastest start in franchise history.

Portland’s Terry Porter had a season-high 17 assists and Cliff Robinson scored 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for the Trail Blazers.

Mitch Richmond led the Warriors with 22 points. Chris Mullin, held to five in the first half, had 20 for Golden State, which has lost four in a row and eight of nine games.

Atlanta 114, Utah 103--John Battle scored 27 points and Dominique Wilkins hit eight consecutive free throws in the final minutes as Atlanta held off visiting Utah.

A basket by John Stockton pulled the Jazz to 104-101 with 1:26 left before Wilkins began his streak of free throws.

The Hawks scored nine of the last 11 points in the third quarter and the first five in the fourth quarter for an 88-74 lead, their biggest of the game. Stockton then led the Jazz on a 12-2 streak, and Utah later tied the game on a free throw by Karl Malone with 3:14 left.

Battle scored 12 points in the fourth quarter. Moses Malone finished with 24 for the Hawks, 16 in the second quarter.

Karl Malone led the Jazz with 24 points. Stockton had 20 and Blue Edwards 17.

Boston 102, Cleveland 89--Larry Bird overcame a cold-shooting start and scored 20 of his 29 points in the second half as the Celtics rolled past the injury-plagued Cavaliers at Boston.

Bird made just three of 12 shots in the first half, which ended with Boston leading, 51-45. But he scored 12 in the third quarter, hitting four of seven field goal attempts, helping Boston to a 76-67 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Indiana 125, Orlando 110--Chuck Person had 28 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, and Rik Smits had a career-high seven blocked shots to go with 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers at Indianapolis.

The Pacers took the lead for good in the third quarter when Reggie Miller scored 17 of his 29 points, but were unable to pull away until Person scored nine points during a 19-10 spurt that turned a 91-90 lead into a 110-100 advantage.

Vern Fleming contributed 20 points and 12 assists to Indiana’s third consecutive victory. Terry Catledge had 23 points for Orlando and Jerry Reynolds had 22.

Washington 107, Philadelphia 90--Jeff Malone scored 25 points as the Bullets broke away from a halftime tie at Baltimore to break the 76ers’ four-game winning streak.

Charles Barkley led the 76ers with 19 points.

New Jersey 101, Miami 77--Charles Shackleford scored 19 points and Dennis Hopson added 18 at East Rutherford, N.J., as the Nets snapped a nine-game losing streak and handed the Heat its sixth consecutive loss.