NBA Roundup : Pacers Can’t Handle Malone and 76ers

He doesn’t prove it as often as he used to, but Moses Malone is still an awesome force on a basketball court.

The big man in the middle had 34 points and 17 rebounds Sunday at Philadelphia to lead the 76ers to a 120-102 victory over the Indiana Pacers and put an end to a three-game losing streak.

Malone, the only player ever to skip college and then go on to stardom as a professional, was easily the most dominant force in the sport in 1983 when he led the 76ers to a four-game sweep over the Lakers in the championship round.

There have been numerous games since in which Malone didn’t appear to be interested. He’s approaching 31 and this is his 12th season as a professional.

He still is capable of domination when aroused. The 76ers, in a struggle with Atlanta and Detroit for the third best record in the East, had a meeting Saturday to discuss their problems. If they didn’t accomplish anything else, they managed to get Malone energized.

The 6-10 center let the hapless Pacers know early that he was ready to play, and, in the third quarter, he broke the game open. He had 32 points by the end of three quarters and only played 34 minutes.

“Malone was awesome in the first half and really set the tempo for the game,” Pacer Coach George Irvine said. “When we play the 76ers we can’t make mistakes and expect to win.”

Although still bothered by a back problem, Charles Barkley returned to action for the 76ers and had 18 points and 13 rebounds to help the 76ers lock up a playoff spot for the 11th year in a row.

Chicago 114, New York 101--George Gervin scored 27 points at Chicago to move into seventh place on the all-time scoring list and Sidney Green had a career-high 31 points to lead the Bulls to victory.

Gervin has 26,397 points, two more than former Boston Celtic great John Havlicek scored.

New Jersey 115, Phoenix 111--Albert King scored 28 points and Otis Birdsong 27 at East Rutherford, N.J., to help the Nets end a three-game losing streak.

The Nets started fast, building a 12-point lead, but trailed, 104-98, before King and Birdsong led the winning rally.

Dallas 117, Sacramento 102--Brad Davis scored 13 of his season-high 23 points in the fourth quarter at Sacramento to keep the Mavericks comfortably in front.

The Kings, who had won five in a row at home, played the Mavericks on even terms for more than a half, then wore out. They lost to the Lakers in double overtime Saturday night at Los Angeles.