By Bill Nichols
 
The Cavaliers grew to 10 feet tall last night.

They socked it to the establishment to the tune of 114-101 over the Philadelphia 76ers before 2,282 of the nosiest bunch of folks this side of New Years Eve at the Arena.

Displaying the best balance of the season, the Cavs won their second strait and first ever over an established team. And this time, it was a very good established club that crumbled in the second half.

CLEVELAND TOOK it right to the 76ers with the "kiddie corp" having more fun than at anytime since their sandbox days.

Rookie Dave Sorenson led Cleveland's seven double-figure shooters with 21 points. However, it was the bench that finally sealed the victory.

Rookie Joe Cooke, Bingo Smith, John Warren and Luther Rackley came off the splinters to give Cleveland its most exciting night of basketball ever in the National Basketball Association.

Cooke hit on five of six from the floor and 13 vital points, all in the fourth quarter.

Smith and Warren popped 16 and 10 points, respectively, in the second half. Each had only a basket during their brief moments on the floor in the first half.

Rackley, who's acting like one of the league's strong men, outmuscled the powerful 76ers for nine ultra-important rebounds.

THE GAME WAS nearly a turnabout from the first meeting of the two clubs when the 76ers rolled to a 141-87 laugher at Philadelphia.

Last night the Cavs began to falter early in the third quarter, scoring just four points in the first 6:30 of the period.

Then they came on to score 20 in the next five and a half minutes to lead, 76-74, at the third turn.

The Cavs shot 61 per cent from the floor in the third quarter on 14 of 23, but in the fourth quarter they were amazing as they hit 73 per cent of their action shots on 16 of 22.

CLEVELAND COACH Bill Fitch revealed last night that he fined his entire team $54 after the first game between the two clubs. That figured out to be $1 for every point in the spread.

He returned the money last night.

"That was the only fine I've leveled at the entire team," said Fitch. "It was for lack of effort, so I'm returning the money for the extra effort tonight.

"I reminded them of the first game. Yes, I pumped them up a little tonight. I'd say that had an incentive.

"Every guy out there did his job tonight. We've all taken the beatings together and now we'll all share in the victory," added the Cavs' coach.

SORENSON, THE former Ohio State star, cited balance for the team's success last night.

"Everyone did has part," declared Dave. We all shot well, passed well and rebounded.

"We're going to make some noises yet around this league."

Looking over at Cooke in the Cavalier locker room, Sorenson smiled, shook his head and said, "He used to do that to us when he was at Indiana. He would come in and hit maybe eight straight in one quarter."

Cleveland could have easily been bombed out of the Area early in the first quarter, but bounced but bounced back to be respectable in the first half and sensational in the second.

Philly jumped off to a 16-6 bulge however, the Cavs hung in there and trailed by 32-22 at the quarter.

The Cavs come out for the second quarter and really outscoring the 76ers, 18-12, in the first five minutes. The Cavs went on top, 47-46, on a Walt Wesley lay-up with 2:52 left in the half. Philadelphia, with a Billy Cunningham hook shot, led at intermission, 54-52.

Cleveland finally went ahead for good with 10:23 left in the game, 80-78, on a tip in by Sorenson.

THE CAVS BROKE Philadelphia's zone press and upped the advantage to 15 points, 112-97, with 23 seconds left to play.

Smith, who totaled 40 points in his relief work in the two games over the weekend, had this to say about the game. "This lets us know we can beat the good teams. We were passing the ball well and hitting the open man."

The game was delayed an hour because of the 76ers' later arrival.

The Philly team encountered plane problems at the Philadelphia airport and didn't get airborne until after 5 p.m. The 76ers arrived in Cleveland at 7.20 p.m.

One thing, game delays do not bother the Cavaliers. Saturday's 120-107 victory over Buffalo was held up 25 minutes because of an Arena blackout.