NBA Playoffs Roundup : Harper Helps Cavaliers Get Even Against Bulls

Ron Harper played Michael Jordan to a near standstill and the Cleveland Cavaliers got even.

Harper had 31 points and 11 rebounds Sunday as the Cavaliers avoided going to Chicago two games down in their Eastern Conference playoff series with a 96-88 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Richfield, Ohio.

“He was a little fatigued at the end and I was a little fatigued at the end,” Harper said.

“I had to run off picks and go to the basket to make him work. If you can run him around early, maybe he’ll tire out a little in the second half. He’s such a great athlete.”

Jordan scored 30 points and 10 assists.

Game 5 is Wednesday night at Chicago.

Harper set a team record with 21 points in the first half in a determined effort to make Jordan work hard on defense.

Jordan scored 14 points in the second half, only four in the fourth quarter, and had seven turnovers.

Harper put the Cavaliers ahead, 49-47, at halftime on a driving layup with two seconds left.

Chicago, 0-6 against Cleveland during the regular season, got two baskets from Jordan and Craig Hodges’ three-pointer to go ahead, 62-59, with five minutes left in the third quarter.

Larry Nance scored eight points as the Cavaliers went on a 13-6 run to take the lead for good late in the quarter. Nance finished off the surge on a dunk with 30 seconds left in the third quarter, giving the Cavaliers a 72-68 lead.

Darnell Valentine’s three-point play opening the fourth quarter made it 75-68, and the Cavaliers led by at least five the rest of the way.

Detroit 102, Boston 95--Isiah Thomas, celebrating his 28th birthday, scored 14 of his 26 points in the third quarter and the Pistons overcame a nine-point deficit to beat the Celtics and take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern series at Auburn Hills, Mich.

The best-of-five series resumes Tuesday night at Boston Garden.

Boston, which led by as many as nine points in the third quarter, started the fourth quarter with an 82-81 lead. But a three-pointer by Mark Aguirre gave Detroit the lead, 88-86, with 9:50 left, and the Pistons never relinquished it.

After two free throws by Detroit’s Vinnie Johnson put the Pistons ahead, 96-92, with 6:03 left, both teams cooled off for more than three minutes until Kevin McHale made a free throw for Boston.

Aguirre’s follow shot made it 98-93 with 1:25 remaining, forcing the Celtics into foul situations.

A basket by Reggie Lewis put Boston in front, 59-58, with 9:59 remaining in the third quarter and the Celtics, aided by technical fouls against Detroit forward Rick Mahorn and Piston Coach Chuck Daly, went on a 10-2 run for a 69-60 lead with 6:22 remaining.

Thomas, who had only four points in the first half and was playing with an elastic wrap on his broken left hand, scored 12 points in the remainder of the period to cut Boston’s lead to 82-81 heading into the fourth quarter.

Aguirre scored 21 points for Detroit and Johnson had 18. Robert Parish scored 25 for Boston, Lewis had 21 and Brian Shaw 20.

Phoenix 132, Denver 114--Kevin Johnson scored 34 points and added 14 assists, and Tom Chambers had 24 points and 12 rebounds as the Suns routed the Nuggets at Phoenix to take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference series.

Phoenix can wrap up the series with a victory in Game 3 Tuesday night at Denver.

The Suns built a 65-41 halftime lead and Denver never got close in the second half even though Alex English scored 36 points and Michael Adams tied a playoff record by making six three-point shots. Adams equaled the record set by the Lakers’ Michael Cooper against Boston on June 4, 1987.

Adams, who sat out Game 1 with two strained hamstrings, had 25 points and 12 rebounds.

Seattle 109, Houston 97--Alton Lister and Xavier McDaniel each scored 20 points and the SuperSonics broke open a close game in the final quarter at Seattle to take a 2-0 lead over the Rockets in their Western series.

The Sonics, who have won 10 of 11 games since McDaniel was moved into the starting lineup, can clinch the best-of-five series Wednesday night at Houston.

Seattle led, 75-73, after Sedale Threatt’s basket with four seconds left in the third quarter and Houston never caught up.

Akeem Olajuwon had 30 points and 12 rebounds for Houston.