NBA PLAYOFFS ROUNDUP : Ewing Saves Victory for Knicks

When the New York Knicks were holding the Detroit Pistons to low scores in their bitter playoff games, it was easily explained. The Pistons are terrible shooters.

The same reason can’t be used in explaining the Knicks’ 94-89 victory over the defending NBA champions Bulls Tuesday night at Chicago.

The Bulls have, in Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, two real sharpshooters. But they had trouble solving the Knicks’ tight defense and fell behind, 1-0, in the best-of-seven second-round series.

Patrick Ewing scored 34 points and had 16 rebounds, six blocks and five assists.

The Knicks led most of the way, but when Jordan and Pippen put on the pressure late in the game, Ewing made four consecutive free throws to complete the victory.

What made it so surprising was that Jordan & Co. had beaten the Knicks 14 consecutive times. It was New York’s first victory at Chicago Stadium since March 16, 1987.

Jordan led the Bulls with 31 points, 11 of them in the last quarter when he put on a typical Jordan performance. He led a 13-0 run that gave the Bulls an 82-79 lead.

But the Knicks battled back, and Ewing’s free throws made it 91-87 with 24 seconds to play.

Perhaps because they hadn’t played since completing the sweep over Miami last Wednesday, the Bulls were rusty at the start.

Greg Anthony sank a three-pointer that sparked a 9-0 spurt late in the first period that gave the Knicks a 25-16 lead. The Knicks built the lead to 11 points in the second quarter and led by eight at halftime, holding the Bulls to a mere 38 points in the first 24 minutes.

“If you want to make excuses, you could say we were rusty,” Jordan said. “But they came out and outplayed us. Patrick was a factor offensively. He was a force down the stretch. We couldn’t stop him.”

Ewing scored 28 of his 34 points in the second half. He credited a tip from Coach Pat Riley.

“I wasn’t going to the basket strong enough, and coach said I wasn’t getting my legs into my shot,” Ewing said. “We kept our focus even when they caught us and we fought back. I was just playing my game.”

“We didn’t come to play, we came to win,” Riley said. “We were paralyzed for about three minutes near the end, but Patrick bailed us out.”

Coach Phil Jackson of the Bulls said the layoff took its toll.

“That game was evidence of a long layoff,” he said. “I think it was the longest between-games for us all season.

“The third quarter ended in disappointing fashion for us. We got the lead in the fourth quarter with a valiant effort. But it was their game tonight. Patrick Ewing was terrific.”

Portland 113, Phoenix 111--The Suns, who won the season’s series from the Trail Blazers, 3-2, gave the Pacific Division champions a scare in the playoff opener at Portland.

In a tight game in which neither team was able to build a commanding lead, the Suns took a 102-97 lead with four minutes remaining.

But Terry Porter, who had a spectacular game, converted all 10 of his free throw attempts in the fourth quarter.

His two free throws with 21 seconds left gave the Trail Blazers the lead for good. Then, on the next Suns’ possession, Porter knocked the ball away from Kevin Johnson and Clyde Drexler retrieved it. Drexler made one of two free throws with 10 seconds.

The Suns had a chance to tie, but Tom Chambers, under pressure from Buck Williams, missed an eight-foot jump shot.

Porter led all scorers with 31 points.