Bullets Reach .500 Without Injured Williams

When all-purpose forward John Williams went down Nov. 25 with a knee injury that will keep him sidelined until February, some Washington Bullets fans were ready to panic.

Even with Williams, the Bullets had been given slim chance of making the playoffs in the National Basketball Assn.’s Eastern Conference. Without his consistent scoring to help team leaders Jeff Malone and Bernard King share the offensive load, it was considered mission impossible.

Bullets Coach Wes Unseld said other players would have to fill the void.

It sounded like so much rhetoric, but that is exactly what has happened during the last four games -- beginning with a tough road loss against the defending champion Detroit Pistons, followed by consecutive home victories over the Los Angeles Lakers, Charlotte Hornets and Dallas Mavericks that have lifted the Bullets back to .500 at 11-11.

Mark Alarie, who averaged a modest 6.6 points as a reserve his first three seasons in the NBA, has blossomed while starting in place of Williams. During that time, he is averaging 15 points and five rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the field.

“Sure, we miss all the things Williams does that help us to win,” said King, who scored a season-high 31 to pace the 112-108 victory over the Mavericks Saturday night. “But Mark is an excellent outside shooter. The opposition has to defense his outside shot, so that helps open things up in the middle for me and Jeff.”

Saturday’s victory also produced surprising offensive contributions from point guard Darrell Walker and center Charles Jones, players known best for defense and rebounding.

Walker, with 15 points on six for eight from the field, and Jones, with 10 on four for four, both scored season highs. Walker’s eight points in the third quarter, including a pair of rainbow jump shots and a sensational stuff of a rebound, sparked the Bullets’ comeback after Dallas had shot 61 percent in the first half to gain a 65-57 lead.

“Everyone on this team has stepped up another level to make sure the job gets done. Even C.J. (Charles Jones, averaging 2.8 points) had some finger rolls,” King said, laughing.

King, in particular, has stepped up his offensive production since Williams’ injury. King, a veteran small forward, was averaging 15.8 points after the first six games. In the last seven, however, he has averaged 22.1, raising his season mark to 17.9.

Saturday night, he converted consecutive jump shots in the final two minutes, including the game-winner with 61 seconds left.

“Now that John is out, Bernard has simply picked up the slack,” said Walker, who also was a teammate of King on the New York Knicks four years ago. “Both Bernard and Jeff know that they’re going to get most of the attention from the defense. That’s why the rest of us have to score more than usual.”

The offense has not suffered during Williams’ absence. In fact, Washington has averaged 105 points over the last four games, compared with 103.6 before.

But Unseld still is looking for more offensive help from his reserves.

Backcourt substitute Ledell Eackles is in a shooting slump, hitting 42.6 percent of his shots (20 for 47) during his last five games while averaging 10 points. Power forward Tom Hammonds, the team’s No. 1 draft pick from Georgia Tech, is averaging 3.4 points, and reserve center Mel Turpin, after an encouraging start, has picked up quick fouls and been ineffectual on offense.

The Bullets were short-handed at guard Saturday night because Steve Colter has been keeping watch at the maternity ward in Howard County Hospital, where his wife, LaTanya, gave birth to a girl late that evening.

Colter will rejoin the team Tuesday night when the Bullets get their first look at the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves.