NBA ROUNDUP : Price Wrong for Hawks as Cavaliers Take Edge for Final Playoff Spot

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ playoff hopes were on the line Wednesday night at Richfield, Ohio, and at halftime they were trailing the Atlanta Hawks by 10 points.

But Mark Price stopped shooting and started passing and Brad Daugherty took charge at both ends of the court to lead the Cavaliers to a 101-95 victory.

The 10th win in their last 14 games pulled the Cavaliers even with the Hawks in the bid for the final playoff position in the East. Maybe just as important, it gave the Cavaliers a 3-2 edge for the season. If the teams, each 35-38, with nine games left, finish in a tie, the Cavaliers will qualify for postseason play.

It may have been a costly victory. The Cavaliers, hampered by injuries all season, lost Larry Nance with a sprained ankle halfway through the last quarter. He was taken for X-rays.

Price was only three for 15 from the field, but he had a career-high 20 assists. Daugherty was 12 for 17 from the field and led everyone with 13 rebounds.

“When your shot’s not going, they back off,” Price said. “I knew I had to get the ball to the other guys. Our big men did the job.”

The Cavaliers on occasion used a full-court press to harass the Hawks’ offense in the second half and it worked. The Hawks scored only 37 points in the last 24 minutes.

“We didn’t have the same intensity in the second half,” said Dominique Wilkins who scored 33 points for the Hawks. “We beat ourselves. We made stupid decisions.”

Boston 125, New Jersey 106--The Nets’ defense is somewhat more porous than the Pistons, but it took the Celtics a while to realize it.

They trailed, 60-58, at halftime before Larry Bird took charge at Boston to lead them to an easy victory.

The Celtics scored only 82 points against Detroit Tuesday night, but Bird, who had 19 against the Pistons, had 43 points and 15 rebounds Wednesday. He was 16 for 29 from the field and had six assists.

“It was the same old story,” said Net Coach Bill Fitch. “It was just too much Larry Bird.”

Golden State 128, Miami 114--Chris Mullin is fully recovered from his lung problem and the Warriors, with their ace in form, can handle the expansion teams, even on the road.

Mullin, going 10 for 13 from the field, had 30 points and talented rookie guard Tim Hardaway had 20 points and 16 assists.

“I’ve been feeling better this week, “ said Mullin, who was out for two weeks with severe case of asthmatic bronchitis. He was out long enough to just about ruin the Warriors’ playoff hopes.

Former Laker Billy Thompson had a career-high 29 points and had 16 rebounds to keep the Heat close most of the way.

New York 118, Washington 107--Patrick Ewing had 37 points and 17 rebounds at Landover, Md., but that wasn’t the big story for the Knicks.

It was the return to shooting form of Kiki Vandeweghe that provided the good news for the slump-ridden Knicks. Vandeweghe, rounding into shape just in time for the playoffs, was 10 for 12 to help the Knicks end a four-game road losing streak.

Even so, it was a struggle for the Knicks, who led only 107-105 with 4:37 left, before Ewing sank a jumper to start a 10-2 run.

Dallas 104, San Antonio 98--The Mavericks were without ailing center James Donaldson again at Dallas and the Spurs, with talented David Robinson leading the way, were on a roll, for a while.

Halfway through the second quarter the Spurs had a 19-point lead. Guards Rolando Blackman (28 points) and Derek Harper (27) rallied the Mavericks.

Robinson had 32 points and 12 rebounds, but the Spurs dropped 3 1/2 games behind Utah in the Midwest Division.

Milwaukee 121, Indiana 116--After a one-day enforced vacation, Buck guard Alvin Robertson came back fired up at Milwaukee.

Robertson, who drew a one-game suspension for fighting, scored 10 of his 30 points in overtime as the Bucks’ dealt the Pacers their third loss in a row.

A Mike Sanders jumper with 29 seconds left in regulation enabled the Pacers to tie it, 103-103, and send it into overtime.

Charlotte 116, Denver 112--This loss to the lowly Hornets at Denver could be the blow that costs the Nuggets a playoff spot.

Until recently, the Nuggets had a solid grip on the seventh playoff spot. But with a 37-36 record, they must fight off either Houston (35-37) or Seattle (36-36).