Bullets Gain Momentum With 118-106 Win Over 76ers

The Washington Bullets gained momentum and confidence entering the playoffs by defeating their first-round opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers, 118-106, Saturday night in a regular-season finale at Landover, Md.

“We’ve got to tighten up the hatches and get ready,” said Gus Williams, who scored a game-high 33 points, including three 3-pointers. “We have to play just about perfect basketball to be competitve with them.”

Williams had 22 points in the first half, including a 60-footer at the buzzer which gave Washington a 61-58 halftime lead, an advantage the Bullets never lost.

Jeff Malone added 26 points and Cliff Robinson 20 for Washington which faces Philadelphia in the first round, Wednesday at the Spectrum.

The 76ers were paced by Moses Malone with 25 points, followed by Maurice Cheeks with 23.

Philadelphia was without starting guard Andrew Toney and Malone was playing on a sprained right ankle.

The defeat dropped Philadelphia’s record to 58-24. As a result, the 76ers lost the opportunity to host a potential second-round playoff series with Central Division champion Milwaukee which finished at 59-23.

Milwaukee 88, New York 84--Alton Lister scored 18 points, including two free throws with nine seconds left, to lead the Bucks in the final regular season game for both teams at Milwaukee.

The Bucks will entertain Chicago in the first round of the playoffs Friday.

The Knicks lost their final 12 games to close at 24-58. It was the club’s worst mark since 1964.

Terry Cummings scored 16 points and Sidney Moncrief and Paul Thompson had 12 apiece for the Bucks.

Darrell Walker scored a game-high 29 points to lead the Knicks.

New Jersey 123, Chicago 111--Micheal Ray Richardson and Albert King each scored 20 points and Ron Brewer scored nine of his 17 points in the fourth quarter for the Jets at East Rutherford, N.J.

The Nets, who won four of their last five games, open the playoffs Thursday at Detroit.

Atlanta 122, Indiana 117--Dominque Wilkins scored 41 points and Eddie Johnson added 23 at Atlanta to pace the Hawks in the final game of the season for both clubs. Neither team made the playoffs.

Eddie Johnson had 16 assists for Atlanta, bringing his season total to a team-record 566. Walt Hazzard set the previous record with 561 in 1969-70.