NBA ROUNDUP : A High-Flying Bird Beats Bulls

Is Larry Bird back? Just ask the Chicago Bulls.

Playing as though he had not missed nearly all of last season and had surgery on both feet, Bird made a 15-foot jumper with four seconds remaining Saturday night to beat the Bulls, 102-100, at Chicago.

The shot put the finishing touch on back-to-back games that saw Bird perform in the manner to which he was accustomed before undergoing surgery.

In an outstanding return Friday night, he scored 32 points during a 127-114 win over Milwaukee. The clutch shot that beat the Bulls gave him 27 points Saturday night.

After Bird’s basket, Michael Jordan got off a jumper with one second left, but it was blocked by Kevin McHale. Jordan, who scored 54 points in an overtime win Friday night, had only 24 against the Celtics.

Just 15 seconds before Bird’s winner, John Paxson brought the Bulls even, 100-100, with a jumper.

“I really didn’t play well,” Bird said. “I let Scottie Pippen (with 28 points) eat me alive. I made some costly turnovers. Letting Pippen get past me kept them in the game in the stretch.”

Still, the bottom line was that Bird won the game.

“We double-teamed Jordan all night,” McHale said. “And when he tried to tie the game at the end, we had three on him.”

Detroit 95, Washington 93--Earlier in his pro career, Isiah Thomas was not the player to turn to when the going was tough. That is no longer the case.

When the Pistons need help, they go to the veteran guard. The NBA champions are 2-0, and both times Thomas has been brilliant in the stretch.

In this game at Landover, Md., Thomas scored 20 of his 28 points in the second half, then made a steal in the final seconds to thwart the Bullets’ bid for a tie.

Although the Bullets played much of the game without Bernard King, their best scorer, they had the ball with four seconds left and a chance to tie. But Thomas stole John Williams’ inbounds pass.

King was ejected in the first quarter when he was cited for a flagrant elbow foul against Dennis Rodman.

Indiana 106, Cleveland 98--Reggie Miller had another big game, and Chuck Person broke loose in the fourth quarter at Indianapolis to give the Pacers a 2-0 start.

Miller scored 31 points for a total of 67 in two games. Person scored 15 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter after the Cavaliers had put up a spirited battle for three periods.

New Jersey 111, Orlando 106--In their NBA debut, the Magic made a valiant effort at Orlando, Fla., before incurring the first of what will probably be many defeats.

Sam Bowie made three free throws and grabbed two rebounds in the closing seconds to give the Nets the win before 15,077 fans.

New York 119, Miami 99--In their second game of the season, the Knicks learned something in New York: Winning is easier if they get the ball to Patrick Ewing. He made 13 of 24 shots and wound up with 35 points, including 12 in the last quarter as the Knicks put away the Heat.

Milwaukee 102, Philadelphia 96--Jack Sikma scored 11 of his 20 points in the last 3:16, and the Bucks ended the 76ers’ string of home-opener victories at eight.

The decisive shot was a three-pointer by Sikma with 1:06 left that gave Milwaukee a 98-94 lead.

Charles Barkley led the 76ers with 27 points and 14 rebounds.

Rick Mahorn, who signed earlier this week, played 18 minutes for the 76ers. He scored two points and had four rebounds.

Denver 135, Phoenix 132--It was just the kind of game you would expect from two high-powered offenses at Denver.

The Nuggets’ Michael Adams scored 30 points, but it was defensive specialist Bill Hanzlik who provided the winning points. Hanzlik had eight points in the last eight minutes.

Houston 132, Golden State 105--The Rockets, humiliated Friday night in Los Angeles after building an 18-point lead against the Clippers, weren’t about to let that happen at Oakland.

They built an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter, then expanded it to beat the Warriors by 27 points despite 30 points by Chris Mullin.

The Warriors have lost two in a row.

Sacramento 107, Seattle 100--Wayman Tisdale scored 30 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Kings to a victory in their home opener.

Rodney McCray had 28 points for the Kings; Danny Ainge had 26.