NBA Roundup : Barkley Keeps 76ers From Falling to Cavaliers

When the Julius Erving era ended last season, it was said the Philadelphia 76ers were bidding farewell to the National Basketball Assn. elite.

The experts said the 76ers would drop down to the group that battles just to make the playoffs instead of one with a shot at the championship.

It may be premature to count the 76ers out of the elite class. The Charles Barkley era may yet produce some good teams.

Although he is not at his physical best because of a back injury, the bulky 6-foot 6-inch forward is still the key to the 76ers’ success.

Barkley scored 14 of his 22 points in the last eight minutes Tuesday night to lead the 76ers to a 108-104 victory over Cleveland.

Barkley rested his ailing back through most of the third quarter, returning with eight minutes left and the 76ers leading, 85-82. In the next 72 seconds, Barkley blocked two shots, made a layup and assisted on two others to give the 76ers an insurmountable lead.

“Maybe, that means I’m out of my slump,” said Barkley, who has been the 76ers’ leading scorer in all but one game this season. “I really don’t know what the problem is.”

While learning to adjust to the loss of Erving, the 76ers have opened slowly. They are 4-4. Shortly before the game with the Cavaliers, the 76ers completed a deal with New Jersey and acquired Albert King. King is about the size of Erving, and the 76ers will use him as both a shooting guard and a small forward. He made a token appearance in this game, playing two minutes and missing his only shot.

King had been a holdout with the Nets after undergoing off-season surgery. With guard Andrew Toney back on the disabled list, the 76ers need help.

One thing the 76ers don’t need, though, is a playmaker. Maurice Cheeks continues to run the offense with authority. Against the Cavaliers, Cheeks had 22 points and 14 assists while playing 41 minutes.

Another solid performer is Roy Hinson. The power forward had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocked shots.

The Cavaliers, still without injured star Ron Harper, were led by Brad Daugherty with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Detroit 97, Houston 83--Although their key player, Isiah Thomas, went out with a leg injury in the first period and their best shooter, Adrian Dantley, couldn’t hit his hat, the Pistons won handily at Houston.

With Joe Dumars and Dennis Rodman leading the way and playing effectively on defense, the Pistons built a 56-32 halftime lead.

And when Akeem Olajuwon led a Rocket rally that cut the lead to 79-75 with 7:30 left in the game, Vinnie Johnson came off the bench to score six points in an 8-0 spurt that gave Detroit command again.

Dantley was 1 for 10 and had just 6 points in 30 minutes.

Utah 100, Washington 83--The Jazz held only a four-point lead after three quarters at Salt Lake City but held the hapless Bullets to 13 points in the last 12 minutes to win in a romp.

John Stockton and Darrell Griffith each had four points in a 15-4 spurt at the start of the last quarter that broke it open.

Mark Eaton had 14 rebounds and 4 blocks to key the Utah defense.

Denver 132, New Jersey 104--Fat Lever scored his second consecutive triple-double at Denver to lead the Nuggets to an easy victory over the undermanned Nets.

Lever had 21 points, 13 rebounds and 14 assists. Last season, he led the NBA with 16 triple-doubles.

The Nets scored the first four points, but the Nuggets scored the next 14 and were never headed. The Nuggets set a club record by blocking 19 shots, including 8 each by Wayne Cooper and Blair Rasmussen.

Portland 98, Sacramento 94--Clyde Drexler scored 32 points for the Trail Blazers, who held off a fourth-quarter comeback by Sacramento at Portland.

The Kings outscored the Blazers, 10-4, to pull within 94-93 with 1:25 remaining. But Jerome Kersey hit two foul shots, and Drexler stole the ball and dribbled the length of the floor to score with 11 seconds left, giving the Trail Blazers their third consecutive victory.

It was the Kings’ fifth straight loss.