NBA ROUNDUP : Without Drexler, Kersey, Trail Blazers Falter at Houston

The Portland Trail Blazers predicted last week the Houston Rockets would finish eighth in the Western Conference and face them in the first round of the playoffs.

When Clyde Drexler and Jerome Kersey were held out with minor injuries Tuesday at Houston, the Trail Blazers came closer to making their prediction come true.

The Rockets, who couldn’t beat hapless Dallas at home Saturday, were able to handle the best team in the West, 108-96, to take half a game lead over the Lakers for the final playoff berth.

Otis Thorpe made 11 of his 12 shots to lead the Rockets.

Even without Drexler, their leader, and Kersey, their leading front-line scorer, the Blazers, behind 14 points earlier, pulled to within four points with 6 1/2 minutes to play.

But Thorpe sank a jump shot and Sleepy Floyd sank two and the Rockets were rolling again.

Drexler and Kersey have knee problems. The Trail Blazers have clinched the best record in the West, so it was decided that rest for them was in order.

Phoenix 122, Seattle 100--Dan Majerle scored 14 of his 23 points in the second quarter when the Suns broke open a tight game at Phoenix and beat the SuperSonics.

Majerle was ejected with 1:18 left in the game for a flagrant foul against Bart Kofoed. The play was typical of the physical game, which had 33 fouls called on the Suns and 32 on Seattle.

It was the Suns’ seventh straight victory at home and only Seattle’s second loss in eight games.

New York 93, Washington 90--Even against the injury-ridden Bullets, the Knicks did not look the part of a team ready to charge into the playoffs.

Patrick Ewing and John Starks woke a lethargic offense in the last quarter at New York, and the Knicks stayed a game ahead of Boston in the battle for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Starks had 11 points and Ewing 10 in the fourth quarter, when the Knicks rallied from a 67-65 deficit. Ewing finished with 23 points and 21 rebounds.

The Bullets were without injured Pervis Ellison, their leading scorer and rebounder. Ledell Eackles scored 17 of his 34 points in the last quarter, but the Bullets lost their sixth in a row.

Boston 99, Philadelphia 94--Reggie Lewis had 27 points, including a crucial jump shot with 16 seconds left that clinched the Celtics’ sixth victory in a row, all without ailing Larry Bird.

Lewis’ decisive basket knocked the 76ers out of the playoffs for the first time since 1988.

Charles Barkley, who made it clear before the game he didn’t care for 76er General Manager Gene Shue, had 19 in a losing cause.

Indiana 123, Charlotte 96--Detlef Schrempf had 23 points and 10 rebounds at Indianapolis, and the Pacers clinched a playoff berth for the third consecutive season.

Schrempf came off the bench in the first period to lead a 19-2 spurt that put the Hornets ahead to stay, 34-21.

New Jersey 105, Miami 100--The Heat turned cold at the worst possible time at Miami and missed a chance to solidify its playoff position.

With Glen Rice scoring 36 points, the Heat built a 96-88 lead with 4:29 to play. But the Heat made only one more basket in nine shots and was outscored, 27--4.

The Nets (39-41) moved closer to the seventh spot in the East. The Heat (37-43) is half a game behind Atlanta in the fight for the eighth and last playoff position.

Cleveland 115, Chicago 100--The Bulls, playing without Michael Jordan for only the third time in the last six years, were no match for the Cavaliers at Richfield, Ohio.

Jordan stayed in Chicago because of tendinitis in his left knee, but it isn’t considered serious.

Golden State 122, Minnesota 100--Tim Hardaway, who set an NBA record by missing all 17 shots in a previous visit to Minneapolis, made amends.

Hardaway was 11 for 17, had 27 points and 15 assists.

Detroit 98, Milwaukee 94--Joe Dumars scored nine of his 26 points in overtime at Milwaukee, and the Pistons set the stage for their biggest game of the regular season.

The Pistons, who have won six in a row, play Boston tonight at Auburn Hills, Mich. If they can beat the Celtics, they can tie for the fourth-best record in the West, earning the home-court edge for the best-of-five first round playoff.

San Antonio 120, Dallas 108--Sean Elliott had 26 points and Terry Cummings 23 and the Spurs won easily at San Antonio.