NBA ROUNDUP : Celtics Run to 152-132 Victory Over Pacers

The Boston Celtics sprinted up and down the court Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers and ran off with the fifth-biggest offensive show in team history.

For the Celtics, their 152-132 rout of the Pacers at Boston was their highest point total in 20 years.

“In the last month, we’ve been getting balanced scoring from five or six players,” Celtic swingman Reggie Lewis said. “We are making the game fun because of our defense. We’ve executed the offense the way we’ve wanted to.”

The Celtics’ eighth consecutive victory was the latest blowout in a season filled with them. Their 23-4 record is their best start since they had the same mark in 1984-85.

Guard Brian Shaw, who had 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, led the running attack and was one of eight Celtics to score in double figures.

“They’re going to be tough to beat when they run like that,” said Reggie Miller, who led the Pacers with 20 points.

The Celtics are 19-2 in their last 21 games and lead the Eastern Conference with 116.2 points per game. Boston’s team record of 173 points in a game was set in 1959. The Celtics have scored 153 three times, the last time against Philadelphia Nov. 27, 1970.

Boston broke its previous season-high of 148 points against Denver Dec. 5.

Larry Bird added 22 points, and Kevin McHale, Kevin Gamble and Lewis had 19 each for the Celtics.

Philadelphia 106, Washington 105--Charles Barkley scored 35 points, including four in overtime, to lead the 76ers at Baltimore.

It was the fourth consecutive victory for the 76ers, who stopped the Bullets’ three-game win streak.

Bernard King led the Bullets with 35 points.

Detroit 102, Charlotte 94--Joe Dumars scored 19 points and William Bedford added 16 at Auburn Hills, Mich., as the Pistons dealt the Hornets a franchise-tying 10th consecutive loss.

Bedford’s point total was his highest since he scored 17 for Phoenix during his rookie season of 1986-87.

Orlando 109, Houston 103--Nick Anderson scored a career-high 31 points, including 17 in the third quarter, to help the Magic end an eight-game losing streak with the victory at Orlando, Fla.

Anderson made 11 of 18 shots and grabbed eight rebounds.

Akeem Olajuwon had 25 points, 20 rebounds and seven blocked shots for the Rockets.

Seattle 99, Cleveland 97--Derrick McKey made an 18-foot jump shot from the baseline with 2.3 seconds left at Richfield, Ohio, to give the SuperSonics their fifth consecutive victory.

The Cavaliers, who have lost nine of 10 games, had one last shot, but Steve Kerr’s three-point attempt bounced off the rim and Larry Nance’s follow-up jumper went in, but after the buzzer.

Atlanta 113, New Jersey 111--Kevin Willis had 26 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Hawks against the Nets at East Rutherford, N.J.

The Nets began the game without starting forward Chris Morris, lost forward Derrick Coleman to a sprained knee in the second quarter and then had center Sam Bowie foul out in the fourth quarter.

Derrick Gervin had a career-high 34 points for the Nets.

Portland 108, New York 92--Clyde Drexler and Kevin Duckworth combined for 20 of the Trail Blazers’ 28 points in the third quarter at New York as Portland won its ninth consecutive road game against an Atlantic Division opponent.

Portland improved its NBA-best records to 25-3 and 10-2 on the road.

Phoenix 115, Dallas 88--Tom Chambers scored 24 points and had 11 rebounds and Kevin Johnson added 19 points at Phoenix as the Suns continued their mastery of the Mavericks.

Xavier McDaniel had 14 points, Jeff Hornacek 13 and Mark West 12 for the Suns, who beat the Mavericks for the fifth consecutive time at home and eighth time in 10 games.

Milwaukee 126, Golden State 119--Jay Humphries and Ricky Pierce each scored 28 points and Alvin Robertson recorded his third triple double of the season as the Bucks won their 14th consecutive home game to remain the NBA’s only undefeated team at home this season.

Robertson had 25 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists.

San Antonio 111, Miami 97--Willie Anderson scored 24 points and Rod Strickland added 21 at San Antonio as the Spurs overcame an 11-minute stretch without a field goal to win for the ninth time in 10 games.

David Robinson had 15 points and matched his season high with 18 rebounds for the Spurs, who suited up only nine players.

Denver 128, Sacramento 112--Michael Adams scored a career-high 44 points, including seven three-point baskets, as the Nuggets won at Sacramento, only their second victory in 14 road games this season.