NBA ROUNDUP : Knicks Can Rest Easy After Beating 76ers

The New York Knicks were playing their fourth game in five days, but Patrick Ewing looked anything but tired Monday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Ewing scored a season-high 40 points, including 10 during overtime, as the Knicks beat the 76ers, 120-115, at Philadelphia.

Ewing made 17 of 30 shots and six of seven free throws. He also had 12 rebounds as the Knicks won their fifth consecutive game.

“We’re finally starting to put it together,” said Ewing, who scored 18 of the Knicks’ final 24 points. “We’re jelling as a team. We’ve fought back for a lot of big saves lately.

“Tonight we showed a lot of guts.”

Ewing eclipsed his previous high this season, 35 against Phoenix on Jan. 18. Greg Anthony had 17 points and 11 assists, and Anthony Mason added 15 points and 18 rebounds for the Knicks, who had lost their first three overtime games.

Hersey Hawkins scored 26 points for the 76ers, who have lost four in a row and seven of nine. Tim Perry and Clarence Weatherspoon each scored 20 and Johnny Dawkins had 14 assists for Philadelphia.

The 76ers played without their top scorer, Jeff Hornacek, who was out because of an injured left knee.

Ewing scored six of the Knicks’ first eight points during overtime as New York took a 114-108 lead. The closest Philadelphia got after that was three.

“Our defense was good and that is the reason we prevailed,” said New York Coach Pat Riley said. “But the value of Patrick as a major threat is what we are all about. You have to go to your strength and live off that.”

Philadelphia Coach Doug Moe said his team allowed the Knicks too many offensive rebounds when center Andrew Lang was out of the game.

“We are playing tough and competitive and our games are close, but we are not coming away with the wins,” Moe said.

The 76ers tied the score, 106-106, with 28 seconds to play in regulation. After Ewing missed a short jump shot, the 76ers got the rebound and went down court for a possible game-winning shot. But Hawkins missed a driving scoop shot and the game went to overtime.

Washington 106, Houston 100--Larry Stewart, averaging seven points a game, scored 21 in 24 minutes at Houston to lead the Bullets to only their fourth road victory.

The Rockets, who had won five of their last six games against the Bullets, rallied from an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit to cut the lead to 104-100 with 13 seconds to play. But Pervis Ellison made two free throws to seal the victory.

Kenny Smith scored 30 points for the Rockets, making 13 of 19 shots. Hakeem Olajuwon added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Otis Thorpe had 16 points and 13 rebounds for Houston.

Harvey Grant scored 20 points for the Bullets. Ellison finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Utah 108, Orlando 96--The Jazz pulled away for the victory with a 13-1 fourth-quarter run at Salt Lake City.

Karl Malone had 23 points and 14 rebounds and Jeff Malone added 22 for the Jazz. John Stockton finished with 18 points and 15 assists.

“We were able to get out and run,” Utah Coach Jerry Sloan said. “We knew they played (Sunday at Phoenix) so we had to take some of their energy away.

Scott Skiles scored 25 points, and Shaquille O’Neal had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic.