NBA ROUNDUP : Bulls’ Win Streak Snapped by Bird-Less Celtics

The Chicago Bulls probably figured they would have another romp Sunday at Boston with Larry Bird not playing for the Celtics. After all, in three meetings with Bird playing, the Bulls had won by 19, 22 and 34 points.

But Kevin McHale reached back a decade for some of his best post-up moves, and the Celtics shocked Michael Jordan and friends, 97-86.

McHale scored seven baskets out of the pivot in a 12-minute span of the second half that turned a one-point lead into a victory that ended the Bulls’ five-game winning streak.

It was the Bulls’ 14th defeat and ended any hopes the defending NBA champions had of tying the Lakers’ league record of 69 victories in 1971-72.

The Celtics, who won for the eighth time in the last nine games, led, 66-65, late in the third quarter when McHale, 34, started his show.

McHale, just rounding into shape after missing 26 games because of an assortment of ailments, used seven different moves for the baskets that helped build a 91-84 lead with two minutes to play.

The Bulls, breezing to the league’s best record, shot poorly--especially Jordan, who was 12 for 28 and had 26 points, none in the last four minutes.

John Bagley, like McHale, was effective as a reserve. Bagley had three baskets in a row, one a three-pointer, in the middle of the fourth quarter to keep the Celtics in front.

“They really showed us, ‘Don’t forget about us,’ “Jordan said. “We didn’t play very well, whereas they did.”

Cleveland 97, New York 93--Brad Daugherty sank two free throws to clinch the victory at Richfield, Ohio, after Larry Nance blocked Mark Jackson’s 15-footer that would have tied it with 26 seconds to play.

The Knicks, who had won nine of 10, lead Boston in the Atlantic Division by four games with seven games left.

New Jersey 128, Indiana 120--At Indianapolis, Drazen Petrovic had 38 points to lead the surging Nets to their fourth victory in a row.

The Nets moved into seventh place, ahead of Atlanta in the battle for playoff spots in the East. The Nets trail sixth-place Indiana by one game.

San Antonio 90, Denver 87--The Spurs rallied at Denver to hand the Nuggets their seventh loss in a row.

After the Spurs fell behind, 79-73, early in the final quarter, Terry Cummings scored four of his 24 points in an 11-1 spurt that put San Antonio in command.

Minnesota 93, Utah 91--Tony Campbell scored 22 points at Minneapolis, and the Timberwolves made eight free throws in the last minute to upset the Midwest Division leaders.

Detroit 104, Miami 80--After losing six of their last seven the Pistons straightened out at the expense of the slumping Heat at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Bill Laimbeer came off the bench to score 17 points in the second quarter and help the Pistons take a 60-39 halftime lead.

Sacramento 103, Dallas 89--Lionel Simmons had 23 points and 19 rebounds at Sacramento to help the Kings end a four-game losing streak. The Kings led by as many as 27 points in the third quarter.

Portland 130, Golden State 122--It was a big game and the Trail Blazers turned to Clyde Drexler in the clutch at Oakland.

A loss would have cut the Trail Blazers’ lead in the Pacific Division to a game over the Warriors.

Drexler scored 34 points, including clutch baskets in the closing minutes after the lead seesawed throughout the second half.

Despite a 37-point performance by Chris Mullin, the Warriors fell three games behind with seven games to play.