NBA ROUNDUP : 38,610 Cheer Seattle to Win Over Portland

The Seattle SuperSonics don’t really like playing in the Kingdome. It is so spacious, it lacks the intimacy of a smaller arena.

But some games are scheduled in the indoor stadium because the regular home, the Coliseum, holds only 14,295 fans.

With the Portland Trail Blazers, the best in the West, in Seattle Saturday night, the game was played in the Kingdome. A crowd of 38,610 was on hand and the fans made plenty of noise.

The SuperSonics, playing without leading scorer Ricky Pierce, knocked the Trail Blazers out of first place in the Pacific Division with a 113-104 victory.

With Golden State beating the Lakers, the Trail Blazers dropped into second place by percentage points.

Pierce was out because of arthritis in his toes.

Eddie Johnson scored 29 points and Nate McMillan, Pierce’s replacement, had 20.

Miami 107, Detroit 98--After three quarters at Miami, the Pistons were taking a beating, 80-64.

They seemed to think they were taking another beating from the officials.

At that point they had five technicals and had shot only three free throws. Two of the technicals eliminated Coach Chuck Daly early in the third quarter.

The Heat, which led throughout, was 36 for 41 from the line, and the Pistons were seven for 11.

“In the past they’ve liked to beat up on people and push and shove,” Rony Seikaly said. “Tonight the refs let us play the same way, and maybe they were frustrated.”

Daly was tossed out in the middle of the Heat’s 15-2 run that broke the game open in the second half. Daly argued strenuously over a flagrant foul call against John Salley, and was ejected.

“We were trying to foul,” Daly said, “but I don’t think it should have been a flagrant foul.”

Chicago 105, Minnesota 90--The Bulls, playing the worst team in the league, were somewhat lethargic for a half at Chicago.

But Michael Jordan shook them up in the third quarter, getting 17 of his 30 points to lead the Bulls to their 45th victory in 55 games.

The Timberwolves fell to 10-43.

Atlanta 119, New Jersey 107--Despite the loss of Dominique Wilkins, the Hawks are battling to stay in the playoff race in the East.

Kevin Willis had 26 points and 15 rebounds at Atlanta and the Hawks came back to .500 (27-27). The Hawks have the sixth best record in the conference.

New York 98, Denver 87--The Knicks fell behind, 21-8, in the opening minutes at New York against a weak road team.

Then Patrick Ewing, playing some of his best basketball lately, went to work, and the Knicks surged in front at halftime, 52-51. Ewing finished with 26 points as the Knicks increased their lead in the Atlantic Division to four games.

Rookie center Dikembe Mutombo wasn’t disgraced by Ewing. Mutombo had 17 points and 14 rebounds. Ewing had 13 rebounds.

Charlotte 130, Orlando 110--Kenny Gattison and Dell Curry each had 24 points at Charlotte, and the improving Hornets won for the sixth time in the last nine games.