NBA ROUNDUP : Bulls Show Knicks They Have Knack, 99-98

At least the New York Knicks didn’t stand around and watch the Chicago Bulls as Coach Pat Riley accused them of doing Thursday night when they were routed by the NBA champions at New York.

In fact, the Knicks, getting a superlative performance from Patrick Ewing, came close to ending their 17-game losing streak to the Bulls Saturday night at Chicago.

They lost, 99-98, after a 100-85 humiliation earlier in the week. In the closing seconds, the Knicks had two chances to win and another to tie.

After Michael Jordan sank two free throws with just under two minutes left, the Bulls led, 99-97, but didn’t score again.

Ewing, who had 30 points and 11 rebounds, missed the first of two free throws with 43 seconds and the Knicks trailed by a point.

Then, Scottie Pippen leaped high to block from behind a 10-foot jumper by Xavier McDaniel with three seconds left. Gerald Wilkins grabbed the rebound and his shot bounced off the rim at the buzzer.

In their win at New York, the Bulls breezed despite off nights for both Jordan and Pippen. But all of the Knicks had a poor night.

In this game, Jordan had 29 points and Pippen, in addition to the block that saved the game, had 19 points and eight assists.

Ewing didn’t consider it a moral victory.

“I was disappointed, “ he said. “We played very aggressive, very physical. I thought we played well overall, but we gave them too many second shots in the fourth quarter.

Riley called it a “tough, great game. We had our opportunities. We put up a great effort but we couldn’t match up with the world champions. They stung us in New York, but we made changes defensively and most of them worked.”

Jordan was thinking the game gave the Knicks a lift.

“I’m sure they gained some confidence,” he said. “Everybody is expecting these two teams to face each other for the conference championship. They played a lot better than they did Thursday.”

Dallas 103, Houston 99--There are rumors that Rolando Blackman, the Mavericks’ veteran guard, will be traded before the Feb. 20 deadline.

If so, the asking price for the 33-year-old sharpshooter probably went up after this performance at Dallas.

Blackman scored 15 of his 31 points in a five-minute span of the fourth quarter to spark the Mavericks to their second surprise win of the week.

On Wednesday, the Mavericks shocked the Boston Celtics. But Friday night they were routed at Denver.

Dallas trailed most of this game, but when Blackman re-entered the game midway through the fourth quarter he made successive three-pointers to give Dallas the lead for good, 84-81.

Then, when Houston, which got 22 points and 11 rebounds from Hakeem Olajuwon, cut the lead to 99-97, Blackman sank an 18-footer to win it.

Golden State 140, Seattle 122--The Warriors built an early 16-point lead at Oakland, lost all but two of it in the third quarter, then pulled away to end the SuperSonics’ four-game winning streak.

Chris Mullin, who had 31 points, sat out most of the fourth quarter after the Warriors turned an 80-78 lead to 109-98 after three quarters.

Eddie Johnson came off the bench to score 28 points for the SuperSonics, who trailed, 41-28, after a quarter.

The Warriors, who have won three in a row, trail Portland by two games in the Pacific Division.

Cleveland 128, New Jersey 92--Brad Daugherty let the Nets know right away the Cavaliers’ slump was over.

Daugherty had 15 points and 11 rebounds in the first quarter at Richfield, Ohio, to help the Cavaliers to a 38-18 lead.

From then on it was easy for the Cavaliers to end their three-game losing streak. Daugherty finished with 27 points and 16 rebounds.

Utah 106, Denver 93--Jeff Malone scored seven of his 24 points in a three-minute run in the third quarter at Salt Lake City to snap the Jazz out of its lethargy.

With Karl Malone missing his first seven shots, the Jazz, 23-2 at home, trailed much of the first half.

In the third quarter, Malone led a 14-4 run that stretched the Utah lead to 68-56.

Malone had 23 points and 15 rebounds.

Phoenix 124, Washington 98--The Bullets jumped ahead of the Suns, 19-10, at Phoenix after beating the Lakers at the Forum.

They were still on top early in the second quarter when point guard Michael Adams caught an elbow to the head. Adams needed five stitches to close the wound and by the time he returned late in the quarter, the Suns had a 60-48 lead.

Jeff Hornacek had 27 points in 34 minutes for the Suns, who built a 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

Indiana 117, Minnesota 101--The Pacers won their third in a row on the road and equaled their total away from home by improving to 8-19.

Michael Williams and Reggie Miller paced a 31-15 stretch drive at Minneapolis that carried the Pacers to victory.