Bucks’ Futility Streak Stays Alive in Denver

The Nuggets have a two-game winning streak, and you can’t really have one that is more modest.

One victory came over the Vancouver Grizzlies, who have set an NBA record for futility in a season with 21 losses in a row and have the overall league mark, 24 losses over two seasons, clearly in their sights.

The other Nugget victory, on Saturday night in Denver, came over Milwaukee, 98-85. With so much attention on Vancouver’s plight, it has escaped the attention of most that the Bucks have lost 15 in a row.

Not the attention of the Nuggets, though. They are are two games behind Sacramento for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, a position Denver is used to. The Nuggets have been eighth in each of the last two seasons.

So bring on the Bucks and, if you can, the Grizzlies again.

“We knew Milwaukee was a struggling team, and we knew it was a team we could beat, but who are we to talk?” said Jalen Rose, who had 11 points and 11 assists for the Nuggets, who were led by Bryant Stith’s 20 points and Don MacLean’s 18 in a reserve role.

Who indeed?

“We’re leery of anyone at this point, so we’re glad to get a win,” Denver Coach Bernie Bickerstaff said.

The Nuggets built a 22-point lead with a 22-6 run to start the second quarter and that pretty much took care of that against the Bucks.

“We’re a much better team than this,” said Milwaukee’s Terry Cummings. “Denver just needed us to come to town. They like playing us.”

They should.

Seattle 100, Utah 98--Sam Perkins made a three-point basket with 12.6 seconds to play at Seattle to give the SuperSonics to their seventh consecutive victory.

Miami 95, Detroit 85--Voshon Lenard, who had scored only three points while playing a total of five minutes in Miami’s previous five games, got some time playing before more than 30 friends and family at Auburn Hills, Mich., and rewarded the Heat with 10 points in the final 4:23.

Portland 109, Houston 94--The Trail Blazers got 25 points and 10 rebounds from Cliff Robinson in Portland and used a late third-quarter surge to win for the ninth time in their last 10 games and extend injury-plagued Houston’s losing streak to seven games.

The Rockets played without flu-ridden guard Kenny Smith, who joined injured Hakeem Olajuwon, Mario Elie, Clyde Drexler and Sam Cassell on the sideline. Despite the defeat and losing streak, though, the Rockets clinched a playoff berth when Golden State lost to Cleveland.

Washington 107, Philadelphia 105--Juwan Howard scored 32 points and Tim Legler scored the go-ahead basket with 4.2 seconds to play for the Bullets, who handed Philadelphia its ninth consecutive road loss.

Cleveland 90, Golden State 64--Terrell Brandon scored 20 points and Bobby Phills 16 as the Cavaliers played their usual tenacious defense at Oakland.

NBA Notes

Former Philadelphia 76er player Julius Erving says he might want to join the partnership buying the 76ers, Flyers and two sports arenas. The $520-million Flyers-76ers deal, announced March 19, gives Comcast Corp. 66% ownership of the teams, the Spectrum and Corestates Center, a $210-million arena set to open this year. Erving is good friends with Pat Croce, who will become president of the 76ers.