clarinews@clarinet.com (01/14/90)
RICHFIELD, Ohio (UPI) -- Forward John ``Hot Rod'' Williams hit two free throws with one second left Saturday night to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 98-96 win over the New Jersey Nets. Williams, who had a team-high 19 points, seven of them in the fourth quarter, was fouled by Nets center Sam Bowie after taking an inbounds pass from Craig Ehlo and driving toward the basket from the left side. ``Sometimes the hand is part of the ball and other times it's not, but in that certain situation it was a good call,'' said Bowie. ``We knew ... they weren't going to have much time to operate and it just so happened they went right from the out-of-bounds man (Ehlo) to him (Williams). ``He turned around and being the player he is, drew the foul and made both free throws,'' Bowie said. ``If I would have shot that same shot, I would have gotten the same call too.'' New Jersey had tied the score at 96 on an 18-foot right-side baseline jump shot by Purvis Short just 1.9 seconds earlier. Short's shot came after a three-point try by Mark Price. ``It was just exactly as it was supposed to go,'' Nets Coach Bill Fitch said of Short's shot. ``We just changed the play we ran previously. It was just a matter that he had to put the ball in the hole, which is very difficult, and he did.'' The Cavs outshot New Jersey by hitting 15 of 24 from the field to 10 of 21 for the Nets. Cleveland took the advantage on its fast breaks and New Jersey's slow defense. Cleveland built a 10-point lead going into the second quarter, but started showing the strain of playing its second game in two nights as the Nets, led by guard Mookie Blaylock's eight second-quarter points, narrowed the Cleveland lead to 52-47 at the end of the half. New Jersey rallied in the third quarter to take its first lead of the game since 1:08 into the game when Short hit a 13-foot jump shot to put the Nets on top 63-62 with 4:15 left in the third quarter. After trading baskets, New Jersey was able to push its lead to three at 72-69 after three quarters. The Nets took their largest lead of the game at 84-77 when Blaylock tipped in a missed shot with 8:32 left in the game. The Cavs came back to tie the score at 90 in an Ehlo layup at the 3:48 mark. The lead then changed hands five times before Williams' heroics. ``We got out early, but we couldn't keep them from coming back,'' said Cavs Coach Lenny Wilkens. ``They played very well. I thought it was a matter of them playing very well, and I thought we showed great mental toughness down the stretch when we needed it.'' Cleveland had six players in double figures. In addition to Williams' 19, guard Mark Price had 16 points and a game-high 16 assists, Larry Nance and Ehlo each had 15, forward Chucky Brown 13 and Randolph Keys 10. ``He's been incredible for us,'' Wilkens said of Williams. ``He's just doing the job night in and night out. He's been there every night. ``He steps to the line tonight. Those are crucial free throws with one second left to go in the game and he nailed them both for us. That's a gut check,'' said Wilkens. ``He came through with flying colors.'' New Jersey was led by Short's 22 while Blaylock added 16.