NBA ROUNDUP : New-Look Dallas Gets Victory No. 2

The Dallas Mavericks have assembled an impressive group of young players, and perhaps finally their fortunes will improve.

It looked that way Friday night in Philadelphia as the Mavericks defeated the 76ers, 107-100, for their second victory of the season. Dallas did not get its second victory last season until Dec. 23.

The result was especially pleasing to Coach Dick Motta because the Mavericks won despite an eye injury to their leading scorer, Jim Jackson.

Early in the second quarter, Jackson received a cut above the left eye that required three stitches. He was replaced by Lucious Harris, the former Long Beach State star who is part of Dallas’ new vanguard.

Harris made seven of eight shots and scored 16 points to keep the pressure on the 76ers.

“I went in with a mind-set that I wanted to pick up (Jackson’s) slack,” Harris said. “The key was, I hit my first shot. Then everything seemed to fall into place.”

Jackson returned in the second half and finished with 22 points.

Said Motta: “We’ve got to get solid performances from Jackson, (Jamal) Mashburn and (Jason) Kidd every game for us to be effective. And tonight, they certainly played well.”

Mashburn had 22 points, and Kidd, the rookie point guard, added 19 points and nine rebounds.

Houston 102, Boston 82--The Rockets, who began last season with 15 victories, improved to an NBA-best 5-0 as Hakeem Olajuwon scored 26 points at Boston Garden. Houston won its 19th in a row in November since losing to Utah on Nov. 28, 1992.

The Celtics, who have played three of last season’s semifinalists, are 0-3 for the seventh time and the first since 1977-78. Their worst start was 0-5 in their first season, 1946-47.

Seattle 129, Phoenix 123--Shawn Kemp scored 26 points and Detlef Schrempf got 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter as the SuperSonics looked impressive at Tacoma, Wash.

Sam Perkins also had 22 points and Gary Payton 20 for Seattle, which led, 118-109, with 5:57 left before the Suns rallied with three consecutive three-pointers, two by Elliot Perry, to tie the score.

Danny Manning scored 27 points and Dan Majerle 23 for Phoenix, which played without starters Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson as well as Danny Ainge.

Washington 104, New Jersey 91--Calbert Cheaney scored 22 points and five other Washington players reached double figures as the Bullets, off to their best start in five seasons, won at Landover, Md.

Washington hasn’t been 3-1 since opening the 1989-90 season by winning five of six. After the Bullets’ 11-point halftime lead was cut to five, 78-73, early in the fourth quarter, Don MacLean made two consecutive baskets to ignite a 9-2 run that made it 87-75.

“It’s only four games into the season, but you can already see a big difference this year in the way we’re playing together as one,” said Tom Gugliotta, who had 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Golden State 112, Utah 104--Playing with a patchwork starting lineup, Warrior Coach Don Nelson did not figure to start with a 4-0 record.

“That’s our record, but we’re not a 4-0 team,” he said after the Warriors defeated the Jazz at Salt Lake City. “We’re going to take it, but I don’t know how we’re winning. I’m as surprised as anybody else.”

Golden State did it against Utah by making 12 of 27 from three-point range, including six of 10 by Tim Hardaway, who had 30 points.

Latrell Sprewell also had 30 points for the Warriors. Ricky Pierce added 21 points, and Rony Seikaly had nine rebounds. Karl Malone led Utah, which lost at home for the first time this season, with 25 points and 11 rebounds.

Charlotte 123, Milwaukee 115--Dell Curry made five three-pointers and had 28 points as the Hornets won for the first time this season. Alonzo Mourning had 24 points and 13 rebounds for the Hornets in the game in Milwaukee. Rookie Glenn Robinson scored 12 points for the Bucks.

Chicago 112, Minnesota 100--Scottie Pippen scored 22 points and the Bulls used a smothering defense in the third quarter as the Timberwolves fell to 0-5 for the second consecutive season.

Minnesota has lost 15 in a row dating to last season. Chicago, which had six players reach double figures in scoring, has not lost to Minnesota in 11 games since the Timberwolves entered the league in 1989.