A roundup of the week Jan. 7-13

Compiled by Kathleen Andria

January 21, 1980

PRO BASKETBALL—With Coach Gene Shue suspended for swinging at a ref, San Diego Assistant Coach Bob Weiss stepped in to get his first victory in the NBA. And his second and third. Lloyd Free, the league's second-leading scorer (31.3 points per game) had 33, 39 and 32 points, respectively, in defeats of Milwaukee. Golden State and Utah. Swen Nater. second in the league in rebounding, with a 15.3 average, had 17 against the Warriors and 28 against the Jazz as the Clippers climbed to fourth in the Pacific, eight games behind division-leading Seattle. In Boston, backup Center Rick Robey knew what to do when he was forced into service in the first quarter of a game against Central Division leader Atlanta after Dave Cowens had been ejected as the result of a slugfest with the Hawks' Tree Rollins. "It's as simple as one, two, three." explained Celtic Coach Bill Fitch. "One. rebound; two, play defense: and three, score." Robey grabbed 10 of No. 1. did plenty of No. 2 and had 22 of No. 3 as the Celtics won 108-93. bringing their record at home to 18-1 and avenging their only Boston Garden loss of the season. The Celts held on to a game lead in the Atlantic over the 76ers. even though Philadelphia had won eight of its last nine games and 18 of 22. After beating both the Knicks 111-108 and the Nets 108-105, the Sixers handed Washington its first loss in five games, 119-106 as seven Sixers scored in double figures. Kansas City played Chicago at home, and blew the Bulls away 104-83. stopping them cold—0 for 15 from the floor; 11 points—in the second quarter and got 48 points from Bill McKinney and Bill Robinzine. A later 112-99 victory over Denver gave the Kings their 15th win in 19 outings and a 1� game lead over Milwaukee in the Midwest. Thirteen fourth-quarter points by Junior Bridgeman—including a decisive three-point play with 21 seconds remaining—paced the Bucks to a 109-107 defeat of the Knicks. Joe Hassett hit four straight three-pointers as Indiana ran up a 43-point fourth quarter and beat Detroit 122-109. That was the Pistons' 11th straight road loss and their 24th defeat in 25 away games. Houston won its fourth straight while handing Cleveland its seventh straight loss. 112-96. Moses Malone, the NBA's leading rebounder (15.7 per game), grabbed 21 in an earlier 118-115 defeat of the Cavs and scored 72 points in the two games against Cleveland. San Antonio's George Gervin turned in the best scoring performance of the season—53 points. But it took James Silas' two free throws with: 16 remaining to give the Spurs, who lead the league in scoring but are last in defense, a 137-134 victory over Denver. "We only won because their defense was worse than ours." said Gervin.