NBA ROUNDUP : McHale Jersey Retired; Celtics Turn Back Clock

Robert Parish celebrated Kevin McHale’s retirement ceremony with a game that showed the 40-year-old center has plenty of basketball left.

On the day McHale’s No. 32 was retired, his front-court sidekick of 12 seasons had 14 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots as the Boston Celtics gained their seventh victory in a row, 106-94, over the Phoenix Suns Sunday.

“I wish they would have hung the Chief’s (Parish’s) number from the rafters at halftime,” said Phoenix Coach Paul Westphal, who missed injured players Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson and Danny Ainge. “He had a great game.”

The Celtics broke away after the halftime ceremony in which McHale’s number was raised to the rafters. They turned a 55-45 intermission lead into an 80-58 advantage with 2:26 to play in the third quarter.

The Suns never led, but drew within 98-90 with 2:32 to play when Cedric Ceballos had nine consecutive points.

Then Dan Majerle missed two three-pointers and Parish rebounded. He fired a 50-foot pass to Sherman Douglas, who went in for an easy layup and a 100-90 lead with 1:51 remaining.

Dino Radja had 21 points and Dee Brown 15 for Boston, enjoying its longest winning streak of the season.

The Suns, 4-7 after going 24-6 in their first 30 games, were led by Ceballos with 27 points and Majerle with 16. Oliver Miller had 10 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

“I felt a warm feeling today and I’m happy for Kevin,” Parish said. “We came out and played good basketball. It was a good, fitting ending.”

The Celtics are 14-10 on Super Bowl Sundays and have played the same day as the NFL title game every year since 1974.

New York 103, Portland 93--Derek Harper scored 22 points, his most since coming to New York, as the Knicks completed a three-game sweep through the West by beating Portland.

The Blazers shot only 39% against the rugged Knick defense.

Patrick Ewing had 24 points and 10 rebounds for New York despite foul trouble.

The Blazers’ Clyde Drexler was one for 11 from the field and scored only two points before being ejected after bumping referee Danny Crawford while complaining about a call in the third quarter.