NBA ROUNDUP : Depleted Cavaliers Hold Off Knicks

The Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a dreadful fourth quarter and held off a furious rally to defeat the Knicks, 99-91, Tuesday night at New York.

John Williams scored 19 points, including a 19-foot jumper with 1:03 remaining to give the Cavaliers a 93-87 lead after the Knicks had stormed back from a 27-point second-half deficit to pull within four. Until Williams’ last basket, the Cavaliers had scored only eight points in the final period.

Cleveland used only eight players because All-Star Tyrone Hill has a sprained finger and Bobby Phills has a strained right shoulder. On the injured list for the Cavaliers are Mark Price, Brad Daugherty and Gerald Wilkins.

“This was a case where key guys were hurt, and we played loose and had a lot of fun,” said Danny Ferry, who scored 20 points in only his third start of the season.

San Antonio 98, Houston 97--David Robinson’s dunk with 2.2 seconds left spoiled the Houston homecoming of Clyde Drexler and ruined a great comeback by the Rockets, who trailed by 23 points in the first half.

Drexler, making his first home-court appearance since a trade brought him from Portland a week ago, had 29 points but missed a shot at the buzzer. Dennis Rodman had a season-high 30 rebounds for the Spurs.

Boston 129, Phoenix 121--Dee Brown scored a career-high 41 points, including 27 in the first half, as the Celtics held on to hand the Suns their fifth loss at home this season.

Dallas 102, Washington 97--Jim Jackson scored 44 points and the Mavericks overcame a 21-point, third-quarter deficit at Landover, Md.

Jackson scored 30 points in the second half, including a layup that put the Mavericks ahead for good, 99-97, with 41 seconds left.

Portland 99, Minnesota 86--Clifford Robinson scored 29 points and Rod Strickland 23 to lead the Trail Blazers, who also got 17 points from Terry Porter at home.

Otis Thorpe had his best game since being traded to Portland for Drexler, adding 13 points and five rebounds.

Chicago 105, Atlanta 88--Toni Kukoc made his first seven shots and finished with 21 points and B.J. Armstrong added 16 points to lead the Bulls at Atlanta.

NBA Notes

Derrick Coleman will probably return to the New Jersey Nets’ lineup tonight against Indiana after sitting out six games because of a chip fracture of his pelvic bone. . . . Former Philadelphia 76er owner Irving Kosloff, 82, died Sunday.