NBA Roundup : Suns Defeat Celtics After Bird, K.C. Jones Are Ejected

First the Boston Celtics lost Larry Bird and Coach K.C. Jones.

And then they lost their first game in four years to the Phoenix Suns, 108-101, Monday night at Phoenix.

The Celtics played the last 9 minutes and 49 seconds of the game without Bird and Jones, who were ejected when each was charged with a second technical foul.

Walter Davis scored 20 as the Suns held off a furious late rally by the Celtics.

The Suns had lost eight consecutive games to the Celtics since their last win in February, 1982.

Bird scored 24 points before he was kicked out of the game. Dennis Johnson also had 24 points as the Celtics had a three-game winning streak snapped. Bill Walton scored 18 points, including 14 in the final period, and Scott Wedman and Robert Parish had 11 apiece.

Phoenix held an 83-71 advantage entering the final quarter, but the Celtics cut it to 100-95 when Walton banked in a five-foot jumper with 2:14 left.

But after Davis hit an eight-foot jumper with 1:52 left, Boston was forced to foul, and Phoenix made 6 of 8 free throws to win its second straight game.

Seattle 100, Atlanta 87--Gerald Henderson scored 23 points and had 10 assists while Jack Sikma had 20 points and 12 rebounds as the SuperSonics beat the Hawks at Seattle in a game that was marred by a fight.

Seattle rookie forward Xavier McDaniel and second-year forward Kevin Willis of the Hawks were ejected for exchanging blows with 3:27 left in the first half. Referees Ed Rush and Blaine Reichelt kicked them out of the game after they exchanged elbows. McDaniel threw the first punch.

Milwaukee 111, Philadelphia 106--Sidney Moncrief scored 28 points, including two free throws with 27 seconds left in the game, to lead the Bucks to their fifth straight victory in a game at Philadelphia.

Moncrief hit 11 of 21 shots and added 8 rebounds in only his second game back in the lineup after missing two games with a left knee injury.

Moncrief’s free throws gave the Bucks a 107-103 lead after Ricky Pierce hit two free throws to break a 103-103 tie. Maurice Cheeks hit a jumper with 21 seconds to play to bring Philadelphia within 107-105, but Craig Hodges hit two free throws with 19 seconds left.

Guard Andrew Toney, who had been sidelined for 4 1/2 months with foot injuries, played his first game since Oct. 3. He missed five field goals in only nine minutes of action.

Dallas 126, New Jersey 124--Rolando Blackman scored 42 points as the Mavericks handed the Nets their third straight loss at East Rutherford, N.J.

Jay Vincent had 25 points while Derek Harper and Sam Perkins each scored 18 for the Mavericks, who have won 9 of their last 11 games.

Albert King and Mike Gminski led New Jersey with 29 and 28 points, respectively. Buck Williams added 20 points and Micheal Ray Richardson, starting for the injured Otis Birdsong, had 13.

Cleveland 111, New York 97--Roy Hinson scored 24 points and World B. Free had 23 at Richfield, Ohio, as the Cavaliers sent the Knicks to their sixth straight loss.

Cleveland has a 3 1/2-game lead over the Knicks in the race for the last Eastern Conference’s playoff berth. They play again tonight at New York.

New York played for the fourth straight time without rookie center Patrick Ewing, who is suffering from a sore right knee and is on a day-to-day status.

Indiana 124, Chicago 110-- Herb Williams and Ron Anderson scored 22 points each and Vern Fleming tied a team-record with 17 assists as the Pacers beat the Bulls for third consecutive time this season at Indianapolis.

The Bulls, who have been without guard Michael Jordan since the fourth game of the season, lost forward Orlando Woolridge for the night with a knee injury with 5:40 remaining in the third period.

Detroit 117, Utah 96--Isiah Thomas scored 31 points, 10 of them in the decisive third quarter, and Kelly Tripucka added 30 points as the Pistons won their ninth straight home game.

Detroit has won seven of eight overall and 14 of its last 18 games, and the nine consecutive victories at the Silverdome tied a team record.

Houston 116, Golden State 110--Ralph Sampson, starting at center for the first time in two years, scored 25 points as the Rockets beat the Warriors at Oakland.

Sampson moved from forward to center because of the knee injury suffered by Akeem Olajuwon on Saturday night. Olajuwon, an All-Star performer, will miss at least two weeks. Sampson was 9 for 24 from the floor and 7 for 8 from the free-throw line.