A Roundup of the Week March 20-26

PRO BASKETBALL—The Atlantic Division-leading Knicks had suffered two defeats in a row for only the sixth time this season when All-Star guard Mark Jackson rejoined them after an absence of 10 games following knee surgery. New York, led by Patrick Ewing's 31 points and 14 rebounds, began the week by beating the second-place 76ers 129-109 but then lost, stunningly, to the Heat, whose Kevin Edwards scored 26 points in a 107-103 Miami victory. The Knicks also blew a 15-point lead in falling 115-111 to the Celtics. Even Jackson couldn't bring New York out of its slump: The Knicks lost 115-108 as Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins and Moses Malone scored 34 and 27 points, respectively. Michael Jordan knocked off the Pacific Division-leading Lakers when he hit two free throws with 48 seconds remaining, giving the Bulls a 104-103 victory over L.A., but the Lakers recovered to win their sixth straight road game, 115-92 over the Kings. Following its 118-116 defeat of the Suns on Sunday, in which Magic Johnson scored 34 points. Los Angeles led second-place Phoenix by four games. The Jazz., leaders in the Midwest Division, narrowly beat the second-place Rockets 102-99 before they ran away from the Nuggets in the third quarter of a 112-90 romp in which Utah's Karl Malone had 37 points. The Pistons defeated the Hawks 110-95, the Spurs 115-94, the Nets 112-96 and the Hornets 113-101 to overtake the Cavaliers for first place in the Central Division and the best record in the league. In the outstanding individual performance of the week. Philly's Charles Barkley made all 19 of the shots he attempted—10 from the field and nine from the foul line—to lead the Sixers to a 135-122 triumph over the Spurs.

BOWLING—BUTCH SOPER beat Hugh Miller 216-174 in the title game to win a PBA event and $27,000 in Overland Park. Kans.

BOXING—ANTONIO ESPARRAGOZA knocked out Mitsuru Sugiya in the 10th round to retain his WBA featherweight title, in Kawasaki, Japan.

HOCKEY—As the Adams Division-champion Canadiens and their Smythe Division counterparts, the Flames, waged a battle for the league's best record—as of Sunday. Calgary led Montreal 111 points to 110—the Kings and Oilers battled for second place in the Smythe, Early in the week. Los Angeles's Bernie Nicholls scored his 65th goal of the season in a 4-3 win over Edmonton. L.A. defenseman Marty McSorley sat out that game and a subsequent 4-2 loss to Calgary—his penalty for refusing to leave the ice after a fight in the Kings' March 18 meeting with the Flames. In its second matchup of the week. Los Angeles beat Edmonton 4-2 to take sole possession of second. With a 2-1 week the Bruins moved to within two points of clinching second in the Adams, as the third-place Sabres went 2-2. The Blues continued to trail the Norris Division-leading Red Wings by eight points after Detroit split games with the last-place Maple Leafs. The Capitals, eight-point leaders in the Patrick Division, displayed their increased offensive depth in wins over the Penguins (5-4). the Flyers (6-1) and the Islanders (3-2): There were no multiple-goal scorers for Washington in any of those games. The day after Mario Lemieux scored a hat trick in the Penguins' 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Devils, he had two goals and two assists in a 6-4 defeat of the Rangers that put Pittsburgh in second place in the Patrick Division, one point ahead of New York.

HORSE RACING—HOUSTON ($3), Laffit Pincay Jr. up, beat Mr. Nickerson by 10½ lengths to win the Bay Shore Stakes and $69,000 at Aqueduct. The 3-year-old colt covered the seven furlongs in 1:22[2/5] (page 83).

GOLF—TIM SIMPSON shot a 14-under-par 274 for the tournament to beat Greg Norman and Hal Sutton by two strokes and win a PGA event in New Orleans. He earned $135,000.

Allison Finney won a women's tour event in Phoenix with a 10-under-par 282. She defeated Beth Daniel by a stroke and received $60,000.

INDOOR SOCCER—Second-place San Diego dealt league-leading Baltimore a resounding 7-1 loss to reduce the Blast's margin to four games. Socker forward Paul Dougherty scored four goals in that game. With nine games left, the Blast had a magic number of four to clinch the regular-season championship, but that title won't mean much when the playoffs start: Five of the league's seven teams will qualify for postseason play.

MOTOR SPORTS—RUSTY WALLACE, driving a Pontiac, beat Alan Kulwicki, in a Ford, by 28 of a second to win a NASCAR event and $63,025. Wallace averaged 89.619 mph for 400 laps of the three-quarter-mile Richmond International Raceway.

Nigel Mansell drove a Ferrari to a 7,809-second victory over runner-up Alain Prost. in a McLaren-Honda, in the Brazilian Grand Prix, the first race run under a new Formula One prohibition against turbocharging, in Rio de Janeiro. Mansell averaged 115.3 mph, or 1.8 mph slower than last year's winning speed, for 61 laps of the 3.126-mile road course.

MILEPOSTS—DISMISSED: As basketball coach at San Jose State. BILL BERRY. 47. two months after 10 of his players quit the team, accusing him of "physical abuse and mental cruelty." Berry's record for 10 seasons with the Spartans was 142-144. As basketball coach at Dayton. DON DON-OHER. 57. who led the Flyers to a 437-275 record in his 25 seasons.

NAMED: As basketball coach at Virginia Commonwealth. SONNY SMITH, 52, who resigned after a 9-19 season at Auburn, where his 11-year record was 173-154.

As football coach at Penn, GARY STEELE, 38, who was the Quakers' defensive coordinator for the past three seasons.

RESIGNED: As basketball coach at Tennessee. DON DEVOE. 47. after a first-round loss to West Virginia in the NCAA tournament. His record in 11 seasons with the Volunteers was 204-137. As basketball coach at Washington, ANDY RUSSO. 40, after a 12-16 season. The Huskies were 61-62 during his four seasons.

As commissioner of the NFL, effective upon the appointment of a successor. PETE ROZELLE, 63, who has held the position since 1960 (page 60).

SUSPENDED: By the NHL. Calgary Flames right wing MARK HUNTER, for three games, for hitting New York Rangers defenseman Michel Petit with his stick in a game on March 13.

TRADED: By the Minnesota Twins, second baseman STEVE LOMBARDOZZI, 28, to the Houston Astros for a player to be named, and relief pitcher KEITH ATHERTON. 30. to the Cleveland Indians for outfielder CARMEN CASTILLO, 30. By the Detroit Tigers, pitcher ERIC KING, 24, to the Chicago White Sox for outfielder KENNY WILLIAMS, 24: infielder TOM BROOKENS, 35, to the New York Yankees for pitcher CHARLES HUDSON. 30; and utilityman LUIS SALAZAR, 32, to the San Diego Padres for infielder MIKE BRUMLEY, 25.