NBA ROUNDUP : Celtics’ Shaw Leaves Bulls Feeling Bitter

Already the Boston Celtics have reason to celebrate their decision to resolve their differences with Brian Shaw.

The contract fight between the club and Shaw, who played last season in Italy, was sometimes bitter. Obviously, there are no scars remaining.

Shaw made a layup as the game ended to cap a rally that brought the Celtics from 11 points down to a 110-108 victory over the Bulls Tuesday night at Chicago.

After Michael Jordan, who scored 33 points, missed a jumper with seven seconds left in a tie game, the Celtics called time out.

While the Bulls concentrated on Larry Bird and the other veterans, Shaw, former UC Santa Barbara backcourt standout, slipped through for the winning basket.

Shaw, who scored 20 points, and Kevin McHale led the rally after the Celtics (3-0) fell behind, 90-79, after three quarters. The Celtics also came from behind to beat the Knicks last week in New York.

The Bulls, who carried the champion Detroit Pistons to seven games in the playoffs last spring, thought this could be the year to win it all. But they have lost their first three games, two of them at home.

The Celtics, under new Coach Chris Ford, have once again become a running team and so far, at least, they have been the freshest at the finish.

“If we were 0-3 right now like the Bulls, a lot of people would be giving up on us, too,” said Bird, who scored 24 points and had 11 rebounds. “They are a great team. You build your character on the road, and so far we’ve done that. I had my rhythm in the third period, but it was our bench that won it.”

Seattle 100, Detroit 92--Xavier McDaniel scored 12 of 24 points in the fourth quarter at Seattle to lead the SuperSonics’ comeback.

The Pistons, seeking a third consecutive NBA title, won their first two and led, 80-77, with 6:41 left.

But the Pistons turned cold and McDaniel scored 10 points in the stretch run.

The Pistons had only one basket in a four-minute run in the closing minutes.

Cleveland 102, Orlando 95--The Magic, starting their second season in the NBA, already own a record, but not one they can be proud of.

Larry Nance had 22 points and 12 rebounds at Orlando and the Cavaliers handed the Magic its record-breaking 16th consecutive defeat at home.

The Cavaliers had an extra incentive to win. They had set the record of 15 consecutive home losses during the 1982-1983 season.

The Magic made only 33 of 96 shots.

Dallas 96, New York 91--The Knicks aren’t ready to go the distance at home.

After blowing a 19-point lead against Boston in their home opener, the Knicks held on a little longer in this one. They took the lead at the start and built a 16-point margin.

There were 37 seconds to play when Rolando Blackman made a layup to give the Mavericks the lead for good. Blackman finished with 20 points.

Roy Tarpley had 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mavericks.

“We knew from watching them against Boston that they had blown a lead once before, so we didn’t get discouraged,” Tarpley said. “We thought it would be a matter of time before we clicked. They had to be thinking about blowing a lead when we put the pressure on.”

Charlotte 113, New Jersey 105--Charlotte seemed a good place for the Nets to end their 31-game road losing streak.

But 5-foot-3 Muggsy Bogues scored seven points during a 10-4 spurt that began with the Hornets holding a one-point lead.

The Nets can tie the road futility record of 32 set by Baltimore in 1954 by losing at Milwaukee Nov. 17.

“I had my little playmaker in there when I needed him,” Charlotte Coach Gene Littles said.

Milwaukee 106, Miami 94--Frank Brickowski and Jack Sikma combined for 15 points during two third-period spurts at Miami that carried the Bucks to victory.

The Bucks held only a 54-52 lead before Brickowski and Sikma each scored four points in a 12-0 run that gave the Bucks control.

Indiana 98, Minnesota 96--A tip-in by Vern Fleming with three seconds to play at Indianapolis gave the Pacers a victory over the Timberwolves.

The Pacers fell 15 points behind in the first quarter. Reggie Miller led the rally that brought them close. Miller, who had 29 points, made the score 84-84 on a three-point basket with 5:45 to play.

Houston 145, Denver 135--Kenny Smith had 35 points, seven on free throws in the last 69 seconds at Houston, as the Rockets held off the high-scoring Nuggets.

The Nuggets have given up 149 points per game and have lost all three.

Otis Thorpe had 21 points and 22 rebounds for the Rockets.

Atlanta 102, Sacramento 85--The Hawks ran off 19 consecutive points in the first quarter at Sacramento.

Dominique Wilkins scored 24 points and Moses Malone added 16 for the Hawks.