NBA Playoffs Roundup : Tyler, Pistons Beat Celtics; Nuggets Win in Overtime

Reserve Terry Tyler scored 16 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter Thursday night to lift the Detroit Pistons to a 125-117 victory over the Boston Celtics at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena.

The win cut the Celtics’ lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Division semifinal series to 2-1. Game 4 will be Sunday at Detroit.

“I didn’t force any shots,� Tyler said. “I just tried to pick out shots where they were going to give it and I would take it.

“I always think when the fourth quarter comes, ‘Do you want the challenge?’ I try to be ready. I kind of like the pressure.�

The Pistons were ahead, 98-96, as the fourth quarter opened and never relinquished the lead.

Detroit’s Bill Laimbeer, who led the Pistons with 27 points, hit an 18-foot jumper, and Vinnie Johnson followed with a tip-in of an Alley-Oop pass from Isiah Thomas to give the Pistons a six-point margin.

The Celtics narrowed the Detroit lead to three points on two occasions, but each time, Tyler led another surge.

“Terry’s a good shooter,� Detroit Coach Chuck Daly said. “He’s won some games for us down the stretch. . . . If we can get him the consistent minutes, he’ll get his points.�

Boston led by as many as seven points in the first quarter, but the Pistons rallied behind Laimbeer, who had 12 in the opening period, to lead, 38-34, at the end of the quarter.

With Larry Bird hitting 6 of his 25 points, the Celtics rallied to tie the game at 62-62 by halftime. But Bird had only two points in the fourth quarter as Tyler was burning the Celtics.

Dennis Johnson was the high scorer for Boston with 27 points but was guilty of six turnovers, some of which proved costly.

The Celtics turned the ball over 23 times.

“We dug our own grave,� Boston Coach K.C. Jones said. “It was turnover, turnover, turnover. You can underline that 12 times. Nobody seemed to want to be left out.

“We threw the ball away and missed easy layups. We just have to come out and take care of the ball better.�

Denver 131, Utah 123--Guard Lafayette Lever scored six points in overtime and finished with 22 to lead the Nuggets to the victory over the Jazz at Denver and a 2-0 advantage in their playoff series.

The third and fourth games in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series will be played Saturday afternoon and Sunday night, respectively, at Salt Lake City.

The Nuggets twice rallied from seven-point deficits in the final quarter, taking advantage of cold shooting by Utah in the period.

After Adrian Dantley’s three-point play gave the Jazz a 110-103 lead with 7:21 remaining, Utah went nearly three minutes without another point while the Nuggets were scoring 10 straight for a 113-110 advantage.

Rickey Green’s three-point play drew Utah into a 117-117 tie with 3:27 left, and Denver’s Calvin Natt and Utah’s Thurl Bailey exchanged free throws to account for the 119-119 deadlock at the end of regulation play.