NBA Roundup : Wilkins Sends a 57-Point Message to Jordan

Dominique Wilkins, last season’s NBA scoring champion, just wanted to let Michael Jordan know that he could still put the points on the board.

While Jordan was scoring 41 points, the eighth consecutive game in which he has scored at least 40, Wilkins scored 57 points Wednesday night at Atlanta to lead the Hawks to a 123-95 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

The easy victory gave the Hawks a 16-4 record, the best in the league.

The Hawks have become such a strong team they don’t need Wilkins to score in big numbers. There are games in which Kevin Willis, Doc Rivers or Randy Wittman take over the scoring honors.

But with Jordan, who is averaging 39 points a game and running away with the scoring race, in town, Wilkins had a point to make.

Right from the start, Wilkins was hot. He had 14 points in the first quarter to send Atlanta off to an 11-point lead and went on to equal his career high in 40 minutes. He made 19 of 28 shots.

“They caught me in my rhythm,” Wilkins said. “I feel like I’m at the top of my game.”

The Hawks have the best defense in the league, but they couldn’t slow down the remarkable Jordan. In the days when Wilt Chamberlain was averaging 50 points per game (1961-62), 40-point games were off nights for him.

But it has been a long time since anyone had eight of them in a row. Not since Chamberlain has anyone averaged better than 35 points a game, but Jordan is getting close.

Boston 108, New Jersey 98--It would have been embarrassing for the Celtics to have their long winning streak at Boston Garden ended by the team with the worst record in the NBA.

Larry Bird doesn’t like to be embarrassed, so he made sure it didn’t happen. After the Nets (3-17) rallied from a 15-point deficit to catch up, 76-76, with 2 1/2 minutes gone in the fourth quarter, Bird took charge.

The Celtic star, who missed three games with an Achilles’ tendon injury, scored 15 points in the last 9 1/2 minutes, beginning with two free throws to break the tie. Bird finished with 35 points, making 15 of 21 shots before fouling out. He came off the bench five minutes into the game to lead the Celtics to their 48th in a row at the Garden.

“Larry hit the big shots,” Boston Coach K.C. Jones said. “Nothing he does surprises me anymore. I’ve seen him play too long.”

Philadelphia 122, Indiana 112--Charles Barkley, complaining of a sore throat and aching legs, scored 30 points and had 21 rebounds at Philadelphia to keep the 76ers tied with the Celtics for first place in the Atlantic Division.

The burly Barkley dominated at both ends as the 76ers beat the Pacers for the 12th time in a row at the Spectrum. The Pacers last won in Philadelphia on Nov. 12, 1982.

Washington 106, New York 105--A well-rested Moses Malone was a dominating force, scoring 36 points and grabbing 14 rebounds at Landover, Md., but the Bullets barely outlasted the battling Knicks.

The Knicks, who have lost four in a row and are 1-5 under new Coach Bob Hill, rallied from a 22-point deficit late in the third quarter. They had a chance to win it after pulling to within a point on two three-point baskets by Trent Tucker. But, after stealing the ball in the closing seconds, Tucker threw a desperate shot that fell short at the final buzzer.

Dallas 130, Portland 129--Mark Aguirre celebrated his 27th birthday with 27 points at Dallas, including a 15-foot jumper with five seconds left that ended the Trail Blazers’ five-game winning streak.

The Mavericks, who have won eight of their last nine, had to overcome an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Detroit 108, Sacramento 101--Adrian Dantley scored 20 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter at Pontiac, Mich., to lead the Pistons to victory.

Dantley scored 11 of Detroit’s first 12 points in the last quarter, including nine consecutive free throws to make sure the Pistons held off the Kings.

Houston 117, Phoenix 109--Ralph Sampson scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half at Phoenix to get the Rockets in front, but they needed a three-point play by Lewis Lloyd to clinch the win. Lloyd’s three-pointer gave Houston a 111-109 lead with 93 seconds left and the Suns didn’t score again.

Utah 112, Denver 110--John Stockton made a layup with one second remaining at Denver to give the Jazz its first win on the road. The Jazz won despite a 33-point performance by the Nuggets’ Alex English.

Mike Evans’ desperate shot at the buzzer hit the rim.