NBA ROUNDUP : Knicks’ Mean Streak Continues Win Streak

Opponents point at the tough, defensive-minded New York Knicks and accuse them of having a mean streak.

They showed that Thursday night.

But the Knicks also had a few other streaks worth pointing to.

For instance, their winning streak: By beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 115-95 on Thursday night, New York won its eighth in a row, its longest streak since 1989.

And there was the ending of another losing streak: It was the Knicks’ first victory at Richfield, Ohio, since 1987, ending a string of 11 losses at the Coliseum.

Earlier this season, New York ended a 23-game regular-season losing streak at Boston and a 13-game streak at Chicago.

The Knicks also ended Cleveland’s 12-game home winning streak.

The Knicks were led by Patrick Ewing, who had 28 points and 13 rebounds.

As for that mean streak, New York prodded the normally mild-mannered Cavaliers into committing six technicals and a flagrant foul. Coach Lenny Wilkens was ejected in the third quarter, and Brad Daugherty and Larry Nance both were thrown out for yelling from the bench with two minutes to play.

“They want the game to get out of hand,” said Gerald Wilkins, a former Knick who starts for Cleveland. “They want it to get intense. I was on that team. We did it to Chicago in the playoffs last year, and we did it to Detroit when they were the ‘bad boys.’ The Knicks try to disrupt you.”

New York Coach Pat Riley didn’t see it that way.

“I didn’t think we were physical today,” he said. “We got in front by 20 points because we were efficient on offense, not because we were physical.”

Houston 98, Golden State 85--The Rockets extended their franchise-record winning streak to 15 games, the longest streak in the NBA this season. Only nine teams in league history have won 15 or more consecutive games.

Hakeem Olajuwon led the Rockets with 35 points and 12 rebounds at Oakland. Vernon Maxwell added 25 points and nine assists.

Charlotte 113, Minnesota 85--Larry Johnson became the first Hornet in the club’s five years of existence to get a triple-double. And he needed only three quarters at Charlotte to do it.

After collecting 11 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, Johnson sat out the final quarter.

Boston 105, Denver 101--Xavier McDaniel scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter at Denver, helping the Celtics rally from an 11-point deficit at the start of the final period.

It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Nuggets and their second in a row at home after they had won 13 of 14 games at McNichols Arena.

Robert Pack scored a career-high 27 points for Denver. Reggie Lewis led Boston with 24.

Seattle 131, Sacramento 111--Shawn Kemp had 27 points and 17 rebounds as the SuperSonics won their eighth consecutive home game and beat the Kings for the seventh time in a row at Seattle.