NBA ROUNDUP : Cummings Gets 32, Leads Surging Spurs

Sensational rookie David Robinson has had most of the publicity, but Terry Cummings has also been a big factor in the amazing turnaround of the San Antonio Spurs.

Cummings, obtained in an offseason trade with Milwaukee, scored a season-high 32 points and had seven rebounds Tuesday night at Charlotte to lead a 107-82 rout of the Hornets.

The easy victory gave the Spurs, the worst team in the NBA a year ago, an 18-6 record, and they retained first place in the tough Midwest Division.

Larry Brown, who suffered through 61 defeats in his first season as coach of the Spurs, is all smiles.

“When you only win 21 games in a season, you better enjoy this,” Brown told the Associated Press. “I want to see us get better in all areas, but this feels like I’ve died and gone to heaven.”

The Spurs, who were 7-17 in their first 24 games and did not win their 18th last season until after they lost 46, have won 12 of their last 13.

“I was worried even though the Hornets have won only four games,” Brown said. “They beat us both times they played us. Of course, I should have remembered that most of these guys weren’t with us last season.”

Cummings, at 33 an eight-year veteran, and the 7-1 rookie Robinson have given the Spurs a powerful one-two punch.

Robinson, the No. 2 rebounder in the league, is averaging 22.7 points, Cummings 22 points. Against Charlotte, Robinson had 14 points and 14 rebounds.

But Cummings had 18 points in the first quarter, outscoring the Hornets, who fell behind, 30-16.

“The ball just bounced my way,” Cummings said. “Things just get going for you and it’s hard to stop.”

He played only 15 minutes after the first period, getting 14 points.

New York 100, Miami 94--Their big man was hurt early and had one of his few off nights, but the other Knicks took over at Miami.

Patrick Ewing, who fell hard two minutes into the game, bruised ribs. But, he scored only 11 points on four-of-18 shooting, his lowest total this season.

Charles Oakley took charge, scoring 19 points to go with 12 rebounds.

Ron Seikaly, the Heat center, had 26 points and 11 rebounds.

Phoenix 121, Portland 105--Kevin Johnson has recovered from a nagging hamstring injury that has hampered him all season.

The Suns’ playmaker took control at Phoenix from the start. He finished with 31 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Trail Blazers lost their fourth road game in a row.

It was only the Suns’ fifth win over the Blazers in their last 20 meetings.

Utah 133, Golden State 118--Karl Malone scored 18 of his 39 points in the first quarter at Salt Lake City to help the Jazz build a 20-point lead.

The Warriors, who had won six in a row, just couldn’t recover from the 44-24 opening blast.

Before the Warriors cut into the lead, the Jazz built a 73-44 lead.

Reserve Tom Tolbert had 20 points to lead the Warriors.

Denver 114, Philadelphia 111--Walter Davis scored 24 points at Denver, including a key jumper with 1:16 left.

It was the fourth consecutive victory for the Nuggets, who remained 1 1/2 games behind San Antonio in the Midwest Division race.

Charles Barkley had 32 points and 16 rebounds for the 76ers, who began a seven-game trip.

Barkley had nine points and seven rebounds in the first quarter to help the 76ers build a 39-25 lead.

Then, Davis and Alex English, who had 22 points, rallied the Nuggets.

Chicago 112, Minnesota 99--Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are becoming a pretty good one-two punch for the Bulls.

Jordan had 28 points and Pippen 22 to lead the Bulls to their 10th win in a row at Chicago.

The Bulls built an 89-71 lead in the third quarter and coasted despite 20 points by former Laker Tony Campbell.

Indiana 98, Orlando 90--In the absence of high-scoring forward Chuck Person, the Pacers struggled at home against the Magic.

But in the second half, the team’s leading scorer, Reggie Miller, went to work and pulled the Pacers through.

Miller scored 22 of his 28 points in the second half to keep the Magic in arrears throughout. Person is out with a scratched cornea. His replacement, Mike Sanders, was seven for 10 from the field.

New Jersey 101, Washington 94--Roy Hinson dominated this game at East Rutherford, N. J.

Hinson scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Nets handed the Bullets their third loss in a row and 10th in a row on the road.

Milwaukee 103, Houston 96--Jack Sikma scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter at Milwaukee to lead the Bucks to victory despite a big game by Akeem Olajuwon.

The Bucks led, 75-74, after three quarters. But Sikma scored the last seven points in a 10-2 run that broke it open.

As the Rockets were losing their seventh road game in a row, Olajuwon had 34 points and 12 rebounds.