NBA ROUNDUP : Elie Comes to Warriors’ Rescue, 115-101

Already down 1-0 on their home court in the best-of-five series, the Golden State Warriors were trailing the Seattle SuperSonics during the third quarter Saturday at Oakland.

That is when Warrior Coach Don Nelson summoned Mario Elie off the bench. Elie had played only five minutes in the first six quarters of postseason.

He was the right man for the job. Elie ignited a rally, the Warriors pulled in front and evened the series with a 115-101 victory that nearly deteriorated into a brawl.

Elie, making seven of 10 shots, had 17 points during the second half as the Warriors outscored the SuperSonics, 61-41.

Elie, who played well earlier in the season, had not played much in recent weeks. But he had 12 points during the third quarter as the Warriors outscored Seattle, 30-18, and took a 84-78 lead. The Warriors, outrebounded in the opener, 54-32, had a 19-9 edge in the third quarter and 48-41 for the game.

A brawl almost broke out shortly before the Warriors took charge during the third quarter. The Warriors’ Alton Lister committed a flagrant foul against Shawn Kemp, who retaliated by wrestling Lister to the floor. Four players wound up in a tangle. The game escalated physically for another five minutes before order was restored.

“There were some flagrant fouls,” Nelson said. “It’s not our intention to play that way and I don’t think it’s theirs. I want to get it patched up right away.”

The next two games will be played in Seattle.

Boston 119, Indiana 112--John Bagley had the game of his life at Boston and the Celtics, still without Larry Bird, took a 2-0 lead in their series.

Bagley, almost cut during training camp because he was out of shape, scored 35 points and had 15 assists as the Celtics won in overtime.

Bagley made two baskets to tie the score, 108-108, in overtime, then had a key rebound, a steal and three assists to seal the victory.

The next game will be played at Indiana on Monday night. The Celtics have won 10 in a row without Bird, who has had back spasms and is doubtful for the next game.

The Celtics are also without point guard Dee Brown, who has sat out seven games because of a virus. Bagley has been a more than adequate replacement.

The Pacers, with Chuck Person starting fast and getting 32 points, led most of the way. But they put extra pressure on themselves at unusual times.

For instance, they led, 88-80, with 31 seconds to play in the third quarter and it ended with them leading by two. Bagley hade a four-point play, getting his chance because the Pacers didn’t run down the clock for the final shot of the quarter.

Then, in the last two minutes of regulation, while trying to stall with a four-point lead, the Pacers missed seven shots in a row, four of them on one possession.

Cleveland 118, New Jersey 96--The Nets kept thinking they had blown their best chance when they had the opportunity to win the opener Thursday night.

When Mike Sanders made six shots in a row early in Game 2 at Richfield, Ohio, they were pretty certain.

Sanders put the Cavaliers, who need one more victory to advance to the second round, ahead and Brad Daugherty took over from there.

Daugherty, who had 40 points in the opener, was eight of 11 and had 29 points.

Sanders, scoreless in the opener, helped the Cavaliers open a double-digit lead during the first quarter.

Mark Price of the Cavaliers missed a free throw after making 50 in a row in the postseason.