NBA ROUNDUP : Manning Plays, as Ferrell Lead Hawks Past 76ers

The Danny Manning era started on a positive note Saturday night, with him sitting on the bench in Philadelphia, watching the man who replaced Dominique Wilkins, Duane Ferrell, score 21 points to lead the Atlanta Hawks in a 118-102 victory.

Who needs Manning?

Well, the Hawks believed they did, enough so that they traded Wilkins, their franchise player, to the Clippers for him.

“I’m happy and excited to be here and want to make as big a contribution as I can,” Manning said. “This team really moves the ball and if you’re open, you get it.”

He was open enough to get nine shots, hitting five for 10 points in 25 minutes as a reserve to help send the 76ers to their ninth loss in a row.

“I had too many turnovers because I think I was trying to rush too much, but I think I’m going to like playing here,” said Manning, who also had six assists and five rebounds.

Ferrell led eight Atlanta scorers in double figures in his second game of holding the fort until Manning is ready to start.

Jeff Malone, obtained by the 76ers from Utah for Jeff Hornacek and Sean Green, had 20 points.

“I did some basic things that I’ve been doing for years,” said Malone, a 10-year veteran. “Spoon (Clarence Weatherspoon) and I ran some two-man games and I was getting my jump shot. It turned out pretty good for me, but we still have a lot of work to do.”

Utah 95, Houston 85--Karl Malone recovered from a slow start to score 28 points in Houston, leading the Jazz to their fifth consecutive triumph.

The Rockets led, 76-75, with 8:43 left, but John Stockton’s basket started an 11-1 run that put Utah ahead, 86-77.

Jeff Hornacek, obtained in the Jeff Malone trade with Philadelphia, scored eight points.

Indiana 96, Chicago 86--Reggie Miller scored 12 of his 21 points in the third quarter when the Pacers built a 17-point lead at Chicago.

The loss was the third in five home games for the Bulls following a 17-game winning streak at Chicago Stadium.

But Rik Smits scored seven of his 19 points in a 14-4 run that sealed the victory for the Pacers, who have won 12 of their last 14 games.

Cleveland 110, Dallas 99--Tyrone Hill matched his career high with 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Cleveland overcame an early 16-point deficit at Richfield, Ohio.

The Cavaliers, who played without injured starters Brad Daugherty and Larry Nance, extended their winning streak to a season-high six games.

But they lost reserve guard John Battle because of a dislocated elbow in the second quarter.

Miami 105, Detroit 100--Steve Smith and Grant Long led a balanced attack with 18 points apiece as the Heat rallied from a 14-point third-quarter deficit at Auburn Hills, Mich., to win their fourth in a row.

Brian Shaw had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Rony Seikaly 13 points and 15 rebounds for Miami.

Milwaukee 115, Washington 100--Vin Baker and Blue Edwards each scored 21 points at Milwaukee as the Bucks snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Bullets, who lost for the sixth time in a row.

Don MacLean led Washington with 30 points and Tom Gugliotta had 22 points and 14 rebounds. Rookie guard Mitchell Butler scored a career-high 22 points.

Portland 104, San Antonio 96--Clyde Drexler, in a horrible shooting slump most of the season, sank five three-pointers and scored 32 points for the Trail Blazers at Portand.

Clifford Robinson scored 24 points and Rod Strickland 17 for the Trail Blazers, who outscored San Antonio, 14-6, in the last four minutes, breaking a 90-90 tie.

David Robinson scored 32 points for the Spurs, but missed his first six shots in the fourth quarter. Willie Anderson added 19 points.

San Antonio has lost two of its last three after winning 13 in a row.