NBA Roundup : Warriors Come to Life, Defeat Cavaliers

George Karl is a patient man. He is willing to wait and watch his young Golden State Warriors mature. All he needs is an occasional sign that there is a future for the Warriors.

The Warriors, especially recently returned Chris Mullin, gave their coach something to get excited about Thursday night at Richfield, Ohio.

Mullin scored 22 points, including two free throws halfway through overtime that gave the Warriors the lead for good, in a 96-90 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This did not appear to be the time for the Warriors to win their second road game in 23 attempts. The Cavaliers had won five in a row.

The Cavaliers gave the Warriors a chance by making only 9 of 24 free-throw attempts. Mark Price, who won Wednesday night’s thriller at Washington for the Cavaliers by making one of two free throws in the closing seconds, missed two chances to put this one away.

By missing two out of four tries, Price gave the Cavaliers only an 86-84 lead and, with five seconds left, Winston Garland banked in a 10-footer to send it into overtime.

It was only the fourth game back for Mullin, who spent a month undergoing alcohol-abuse treatment.

“That’s the best game he’s played since he returned,� Karl said. “He’s grown up a lot. There’s no question right now that he’s matured more than I ever thought he could and I think it’s going to make him a better basketball player in the end.�

Now, if Karl can just get Ralph Sampson going, the Warriors could be tough to beat. In this game, Sampson had 10 turnovers, 14 rebounds and 8 points.

Milwaukee 111, Boston 101--When the Celtics play a road game, the night after winning at home, they are vulnerable.

For the third time this season, the Celtics lost a road game after a victory at home.

Terry Cummings, getting 22 of his 30 points in the first half, got the Bucks off to a fast start, and Jack Sikma and Larry Krystkowski kept the Celtics from making a winning rally.

Larry Bird had his second straight off night, going 7 for 24. He was 7 for 19 in a win over Indiana Wednesday night.

Indiana 109, Philadelphia 95--Wayman Tisdale, honored earlier in the day by First Lady Nancy Reagan for his role in anti-drug efforts, had a season-high 26 points at Indianapolis to spark the Pacers.

Tisdale made his first five shots and was 11 for 13 in the game.

The victory put the Pacers, last in the Central Division, at .500.

Reagan attended the game, but Tisdale said he wanted to really do well because his family was there for the game.

Utah 126, Portland 123--Kelly Tripucka sank a three-point basket at the buzzer at Portland to give the Jazz its fourth win in a row.

A slam by Clyde Drexler of the Trail Blazers tied the score, 123-123, with 13 seconds left.

Karl Malone had a career-high 41 points as the Jazz won for the fifth time in 22 road games.

Atlanta 119, Seattle 109--Doc Rivers scored a career-high 37 points, and Dominique Wilkins had 33 at Seattle to enable the Hawks to end a four-game losing streak.

It was the fourth loss in a row for the SuperSonics, who climbed to within a point by shooting 71.4% in the third quarter, only to make just two of their first 12 shots in the last quarter.

Sacramento 118, Dallas 101--Reggie Theus had 23 points and 16 assists at Sacramento as the Kings handed the Mavericks, leaders of the Midwest Division, their fourth defeat in a row.

Mark Aguirre had 35 points for the Mavericks, but 13 came in the last quarter in a belated rally.

New York 100, Detroit 93--The Knicks are becoming unbeatable at home. With Gerald Wilkins scoring 6 of his 19 points in a 12-2 fourth-quarter spurt that carried the Knicks to their sixth win in a row at home.

The Pistons, who have lost three of their last four, had beaten the Knicks 12 times in a row.

Denver 129, San Antonio 123--Lafayette Lever scored six points in a row in the fourth quarter at San Antonio to pace a comeback.

The Nuggets, who trailed most of the game, outscored the Spurs, 42-28, in the last 12 minutes to win it. The Spurs led by 17 points in the second quarter.

Houston 115, New Jersey 87--Purvis Short scored 24 points and had 9 of the club-record 25 consecutive free throws the Rockets had in this game at Houston.

It was such an easy victory for the Rockets that their star, Akeem Olajuwon, played only 20 minutes.

Chicago 113, Phoenix 101--Michael Jordan scored 6 of his 37 points and had two assists in a 23-5 spurt in the third quarter that gave the Bulls their first win at Phoenix in 11 years. The Bulls had lost 14 in a row on the road to the Suns since March 2, 1977.

It was the 10th loss in a row for the Suns.