NBA ROUNDUP : Schrempf Lifts Pacers Past Celtics, 101-97

Detlef Schrempf often has wondered how he would fare as a starter. The 6-foot-10 veteran of the Indiana Pacers probably won’t find out. He is too valuable coming off the bench.

Schrempf, probably heading for his second consecutive Sixth Man award, had 22 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Pacers to a 101-97 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night at Indianapolis.

The Celtics had won seven in a row, but Schrempf came off the bench to spark the Pacers to a 16-point lead, which they wasted before Schrempf sank a key basket with 44 seconds left.

The victory gave Indiana a 37-38 record, sixth best in the East. It also probably finished the Celtics’ hopes of winning the Atlantic Division. With eight games to play, the Celtics trail the New York Knicks by five games.

Indiana led, 93-77, with 7:35 to play. Reggie Lewis led the Celtics on an 18-1 run that put them ahead, 95-94, with 55 seconds to play. Schrempf made the Pacers’ first basket in more than seven minutes and followed it with two free throws to seal the victory.

Schrempf had eight points in the first quarter during a 15-0 spurt that put the Pacers in front.

“Detlef knows how important he is to us coming off the bench,” Indiana Coach Bob Hill said. “If we make the playoffs, he will be one of the main reasons.”

Golden State 124, Sacramento 116--The Kings led, 97-85, with 3:45 to play in regulation and gave up four points in the last 40 seconds to send the game at Oakland into overtime.

The Warriors pulled within two games of Portland in the Pacific Division.

Orlando 113, San Antonio 106--The Spurs have lost five out of six since center David Robinson was injured.

They scored five points in the final 25 seconds of regulation at San Antonio to send the game into overtime, but then the Spurs came apart.

Anthony Bowie scored 24 points in a reserve role, and the Magic made nine of 10 free throws during the overtime.

Washington 119, Detroit 85--About a month ago, the Pistons were playing so well they seemed to be the only team in the East with a chance to stop the Chicago Bulls’ drive to back-to-back titles.

Lately, the Pistons don’t appear capable of beating anybody.

At Landover, Md., the injury-riddled Bullets scored their most lopsided victory of the season.

Dennis Rodman led the Pistons with 13 points. The league’s leading rebounder had only 10.

Recently, Rodman showed up late for a game and said he simply didn’t feel like playing. The whole team is playing that way now.

In the absence of their top scorer and rebounder, Pervis Ellison, Ledell Eackles and Michael Adams sparked the Bullets. Eackles, who had 29 points, Adams and Harvey Grant scored all of the Bullets’ points in a 15-4 start.

The five Piston starters were 16 for 52 from the field. Joe Dumars was one for 11 and Rodman was five for 10 for the Pistons, who have lost six of their last seven. It was only Washington’s second victory in its last 10 games.

It was the Bullets’ biggest margin of victory in 11 years, when Coach Wes Unseld was a player and they beat Cleveland.

New Jersey 122, Milwaukee 103--The Bucks’ inability to win on the road ruined any hopes they might have had to qualify for the playoffs.

Drazen Petrovic had 26 points at East Rutherford, N.J., and the Nets strengthened their playoff hopes by winning their third in a row and seventh of their last 11.

The Nets lead Miami by a game in the competition for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

Cleveland 103, Miami 100--After pulling to within three points late in the game at Miami, the Heat had several chances to tie with 20 seconds left.

But Glen Rice missed three three-point shots and Grant Long missed a rebound basket. The Heat rebounded all the misses, getting the last one to Steve Smith, who made a three-pointer--after the game ended.

Mark Price paced the Cavaliers, who led throughout, with 21 points and 11 assists in the team’s third victory in a row. But Price, the league’s leading free-throw shooter (95%) missed one of two tries to give the Heat the chance to tie with 20 seconds left.

New York 115, Atlanta 94--Patrick Ewing scored 19 of his 29 points during the first quarter at New York.

The Knicks, drawing closer to the Atlantic Division title, never let Atlanta get close after the first quarter. They led by 20 points at halftime and won for the ninth time in the last 10 games.

The Hawks’ Kevin Willis, the No. 2 rebounder in the league, played only 16 minutes because of a sore heel.

Utah 113, Phoenix 94--Karl Malone, held to 10 points during a one-sided loss at Portland on Thursday night, had 32 at Salt Lake City to lead the Jazz.

The Suns, averaging 112.3 points a game, scored only 63 points in the last three quarters.

Minnesota 104, Dallas 95--Pooh Richardson scored 22 points at Dallas and the Timberwolves won their second in a row for the third time this season. They have yet to win three in a row.