NBA ROUNDUP : Portland Has Plenty in Reserve, Beats New Jersey

Portland’s reserves scored 53 points, led by Cliff Robinson’s 20, and the Trail Blazers improved their NBA-best record with a 117-102 victory over the New Jersey Nets Monday night at Portland.

It was the Trail Blazers’ 24th home victory against two losses and gave them a 39-8 overall record, four games ahead of the Lakers in the Pacific Division.

It was the fifth consecutive defeat for the Nets, all on the road.

The Trail Blazers had a 22-9 run to open the fourth quarter and Robinson’s 20-foot shot with 6:35 left gave Portland a 104-80 lead. Robinson had nine points in the fourth quarter, as did Danny Young as Portland’s substitutes outscored New Jersey’s reserves, 53-29.

The Trail Blazers had a 55-46 lead at halftime, which they expanded to 78-63 with 4:30 left in the third quarter.

Terry Porter added 17 points for Portland and Clyde Drexler had 15.

Chris Morris scored 15 of his 25 points in the second half for the Nets, and Reggie Theus added 18.

Chicago 108, Sacramento 97--Stacey King scored 11 of his 16 points in the first six minutes of the final quarter and the Bulls pulled away from the Kings at Sacramento.

Michael Jordan scored 24 points as the Bulls won for only the second time in their last seven road games. Scottie Pippen added 21 points for Chicago, which trails first-place Detroit by one game in the Central Division.

Sacramento outscored the Bulls, 27-12, in the first nine minutes of the second half to reduce a 22-point Chicago lead to 72-68 with 3:01 left in the third quarter. Rookie Travis Mays scored 11 of his 19 points in the quarter, including two three-point baskets.

The Kings made 15 of 23 shots (65%) during the third quarter.

Antoine Carr scored 21 points and Rory Sparrow added 18 for Sacramento.

Milwaukee 103, Cleveland 96--Ricky Pierce scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half, and Jeff Grayer had 11 in the fourth quarter as the Bucks beat the Cavaliers at Richfield, Ohio, for their first road victory in more than a month.

The Bucks had lost nine consecutive road games after winning at Charlotte Jan. 2.

Cleveland has lost 22 of its last 27 games.

Alvin Robertson had flu and did not suit up for the game, giving Grayer his first start of the season. Grayer scored only two points until the fourth quarter, when he scored nine in the first five minutes to help the Bucks expand a two-point lead to 89-79 with 7:17 to play.

Brad Daugherty scored 30 points for Cleveland.

Jay Humphries added 22 points for Milwaukee.

Seattle 100, Charlotte 93--Eddie Johnson scored 34 points and the SuperSonics held the Hornets scoreless over a two-minute stretch late in the game to win at Charlotte, N.C.

Shawn Kemp had 17 points and 13 rebounds and Michael Cage had 18 rebounds for Seattle.

With Charlotte leading, 90-87, with 2:09 to play, Seattle’s Olden Polynice rebounded Johnson’s miss and scored on a dunk. Johnson’s two free throws gave Seattle the lead for good with 1:30 to play.

Mike Gminski scored 14 points for the Hornets. Charlotte’s 5-foot-3 guard, Muggsy Bogues, did not score, but had seven rebounds and 11 assists.