Barkley Deserves His Incentive Pay

Memo to Houston Rockets owner Les Alexander: Pay Charles Barkley.

Barkley has a clause in his contract that will cut his pay next season from $4.5 million to $2.5 million if he doesn’t achieve first- or second-team All-NBA honors, or finish in the top seven in both scoring and rebounding this season.

Because of injuries, Barkley is in danger of failing to reach either incentive.

Knowing Barkley’s pride, he isn’t going to play next season for $2.5 million, nor should he. He’s vastly underpaid by today’s NBA standards. Barkley already has begun building the home he plans to retire to in Phoenix, and the bet here is that he’ll call it quits this summer if he has to play next season for $2.5 million.

Blazers suspend Wingfield

The Portland Trail Blazers take to the court today against the Seattle SuperSonics minus forward Dontonio Wingfield, who has been suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the team.

Ex-Mav Tarpley charged

Banned from the NBA for drug and alcohol use, Roy Tarpley is now accused of public intoxication after law officers found him passed out in his car.

The 6-foot-11 Tarpley was released Thursday from a Dallas police detoxification center after receiving a misdemeanor citation.

On the courts

At Los Angeles, Joe Dumars scored 23 points and Grant Hill added 19 as the Pistons handed the Clippers their fourth consecutive defeat, 91-85.

Avery Johnson scored a season-high 26 points and added nine assists as the Spurs won back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 3, defeating the Pacers 102-98 at Indianapolis.

Vin Baker had 25 points and 15 rebounds and the Bucks snapped an eight-game losing streak by defeating the Cavaliers 90-82 at Cleveland.