NBA ROUNDUP : Ewing Ignites Knicks Past Hawks, 113-109

New York Knick Coach Stu Jackson has been telling his players to get the ball inside to center Patrick Ewing, and it appears the team has mastered its lesson.

The Knicks might be good enough to contest for the championship, especially when the 7-foot Ewing can display his variety shooting or passing skills.

Ewing scored 23 points and Gerald Wilkins, outplaying his more illustrious brother, Dominique, had 29 as the Knicks rallied for a 113-109 victory over the Hawks Friday night at Atlanta.

Ewing and Wilkins led the Knicks’ late surge that wiped out Atlanta’s four-point lead in the closing minutes. Wilkins’ three-point play gave the Knicks the lead for good, 104-101, with 4:24 left.

The Hawks were trying to win their ninth in a row at home.

When Ewing came into the league, he was a good defensive player. But his offense was limited to an occasional dunk or turnaround jump shot. Now, he can score with a jump hook, using either hand, and has become almost impossible to defense.

The Hawks did manage to hold Ewing below his 29.3 average, which is second in the league to Chicago’s Michael Jordan.

It was probably the most impressive win of the season for the Knicks, because it came on the road. The Knicks, the NBA’s only unbeaten team at home (8-0), were 4-7 on the road. The win increased their lead in the Atlantic Division to two games over Boston, a loser at home to the Lakers.

“The key for Patrick, “ Jackson said, “is muscle. Most people don’t realize that a weight program has made him so much stronger, physically. He’s a monster.

“The reason I keep stressing getting the ball to Patrick is that he is unselfish. If they double up on him, he’ll find the open man. If one man guards him, he’ll bury the shot.”

This is Ewing’s fifth season. He has been averaging 21 points until this year when he could reach 30.

While Ewing is deservedly getting much of the credit, Charles Oakley continues to quietly grab rebounds, freeing Ewing to concentrate on his offensive game. In another outstanding effort, the 6-9 Oakley had 15 rebounds and scored 23 points.

Dallas 95, Philadelphia 88--Charles Barkley doesn’t hesitate to criticize his teammates when they don’t go all out, but after this game at Philadelphia, he should have vented his anger at himself.

Barkley objected to a foul call by referee Steve Javie, used objectionable language and was ejected with more than six minutes left in the third quarter.

“Barkley was ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct regarding a comment he made,” Javie said.

Barkley admitted he was partly to blame. “But, even without me,” he said, “we should be able to hold a seven-point lead.

Barkley had 14 points and seven rebounds.

Milwaukee 103, Indiana 98--It was a tough lesson for the young Pacers. They led the Bucks by 16 points at halftime at Indianapolis but couldn’t hold off Milwaukee’s charge.

Jack Sikma had six of his 20 points in the final minute to lead the Bucks’ charge. It was only the Pacers’ second loss in 11 home games.

The Pacers’ big first half was sparked by Chuck Person. Person finished with 23 points, 16 rebounds and 8 assists.

Utah 94, Detroit 91--Karl Malone, John Stockton and Darrell Griffith scored 20 of the Jazz’s 23 points in the fourth quarter in a victory over the Pistons at Salt Lake City.

The Pistons, upset Wednesday night by the Clippers, led, 75-71, after three quarters. But they scored only 16 points in the fourth quarter.

Malone finished with 27 points, Stockton with 26. Joe Dumars led Detroit with 26.

Cleveland 120, Seattle 101--Larry Nance continues to be the good luck charm for the Cavaliers, but it was John Williams who took charge of this victory at Richfield, Ohio.

Williams, in his best scoring game, had five of his 32 points during an 11-0 run in the fourth quarter that broke open the game.

The Cavaliers were 6-11 when Nance came off the disabled list and are 4-0 since he started to play. He is getting his “spring training” in games. In 24 minutes he wasn’t much of a factor, getting five points and three rebounds.

Williams, the 6-11 forward from Tulane, was 12 for 15 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds.

Phoenix 121, Houston 96--These teams are firm believers in home-court advantage. Tuesday night at Houston the Rockets romped at home, 105-83.

Mark West’s big game sparked the Suns. He had 15 rebounds, 11 points and blocked five shots.

Denver 121, Sacramento 112--One of the reasons Alex English is unhappy and has asked to be traded is that Walter Davis is getting more playing time as the Nuggets’ shooting forward.

Davis, reaching back to his glory days, came off the bench to score 35 points at Denver and lead the Nuggets to victory.

The Nuggets have told English they won’t trade him.

Miami 95, Minnesota 84--Rony Seikaly scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half at Minneapolis to help the Heat build a big lead.

It was only the second victory in the last 12 games for Miami, the wins coming against the two expansion teams.

Golden State 116, Portland 111--The Trail Blazers built a 19-point lead in the second quarter at Portland, but the Warriors charged back and easily won.

Chris Mullin had 30 points and Rod Higgins came off the bench to score 17, including six in the last two minutes as the Warriors won their third game in a row.

It was only the Blazers’ second loss in 13 home games and dropped them 1 1/2 games behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division.