Suns Rise As Bulls Tumble

NBA

Charles Barkley scored 35 points as the Suns handed the Bulls just their fifth loss of the season - and their second in three nights, 106-96 Tuesday night in Phoenix.

Elliot Perry broke a 96-96 tie with two free throws and a jumper, then Barkley sealed the victory by stealing an in-bounds pass for a dunk.

Suns 106, Bulls 96

Chicago (96) - Pippen 8-16 3-4 19, Rodman 2-4 2-2 6, Wennington 6-10 0-0 12, Harper 3-8 3-5 9, Jordan 9-22 10-17 28, Kerr 1-5 1-1 4, Kukoc 8-19 2-3 18, Caffey 0-0 0-0 0, Simpkins 0-0 0-0 0, Bucheler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-84 21-32 96.

Phoenix (106) - Finley 7-12 0-0 14, Barkley 14-19 6-8 35, Williams 0-4 2-2 2, Person 0-4 3-4 3, Johnson 4-9 12-13 20, Tisdale 2-7 4-5 8, Manning 5-9 0-0 10, Green 1-1 0-2 2, Perry 4-7 4-4 12, Carr 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 37-72 31-38 106.

Chicago 33 17 21 25 - 96 Phoenix 30 20 26 30 - 106

3-Point goals-Chicago 1-12 (Kerr 1-3, Harper 0-1, Pippen 0-2, Jordan 0-2, Kukoc 0-4), Phoenix 1-4 (Barkley 1-1, Perry 0-1, Person 0-2). Fouled out-Finley. Rebounds-Chicago 46 (Rodman 14), Phoenix 54 (Barkley 16). Assists-Chicago 28 (Pippen 8), Phoenix 19 (Johnson 10). Total fouls-Chicago 28, Phoenix 26. Technicals-Rodman, Barkley. A-19,023 (19,023).

Magic 112, Kings 102 Orlando, Fla.

Orlando moved a game closer to the NBA record for home wins (27) at the start of a season.

Anfernee Hardaway scored 24 points and Shaquille O’Neal had 22 as the Atlantic Division leaders improved to 25-0 at Orlando Arena and extended their NBA-high, home-winning streak to 32 regular-season games dating back to last spring.

Sacramento (102) - Williams 6-11 1-1 13, Polynice 4-10 1-2 9, Causwell 0-4 2-2 2, Richmond 9-21 2-2 25, Edney 3-7 0-0 6, B.Grant 7-13 1-2 15, Corbin 4-8 3-3 11, Smith 2-2 0-0 4, Simmons 1-7 0-0 3, Hurley 2-5 1-2 7, Williamson 2-3 1-1 5, McDaniel 0-2 2-2 2. Totals 40-93 14-17 102.

Orlando (112) - Scott 6-11 1-1 14, H.Grant 6-7 2-4 14, O’Neal 9-15 4-9 22, Anderson 4-8 2-2 12, Hardaway 8-10 8-12 24, Royal 2-3 5-6 9, Koncak 0-0 0-0 0, Shaw 2-6 2-2 6, Bowie 1-6 0-0 2, Wolf 4-6 0-0 8, Thompson 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 42-72 25-38 112.

Sacramento 25 20 27 30 - 102 Orlando 30 24 27 31 - 112

3-Point goals-Sacramento 8-16 (Richmond 5-9, Hurley 2-3, Simmons 1-2, Williams 0-2), Orlando 3-11 (Anderson 2-3, Scott 1-4, Hardaway 0-2, Bowie 0-2). Fouled out- None. Rebounds-Sacramento 48 (Smith 9), Orlando 51 (H.Grant 8). Assists-Sacramento 25 (Edney 8), Orlando 29 (Hardaway 9). Total fouls-Sacramento 27, Orlando 19. Technicals-Orlando illegal defense 2. A-17,248 (17,248).

Cavaliers 91, Celtics 73 Cleveland

Bobby Phills scored 21 points and Cleveland’s league-leading defense let only two Boston players reach double figures.

Boston (73) - Fox 1-3 4-6 6, Ellison 2-6 0-0 4, Montross 2-4 0-2 4, Day 4-12 5-5 14, Wesley 4-10 3-4 11, Radja 3-8 1-1 7, Barros 1-5 3-3 5, Minor 3-6 1-2 7, Williams 1-6 1-2 3, Brown 4-12 0-0 8, Burrough 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 27-75 18-25 73.

Cleveland (91) - Mills 4-14 2-2 11, Ferry 4-12 0-0 10, Cage 1-1 0-0 2, Phills 6-12 8-10 21, Brandon 6-15 2-2 16, Crotty 0-2 0-0 0, Hill 0-5 2-4 2, Majerle 6-10 2-3 16, Lang 1-2 3-3 5, Sura 2-6 4-5 8, Miner 0-2 0-0 0, Marshall 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-82 23-29 91.

Boston 13 18 20 22 - 73 Cleveland 19 22 27 23 - 91

3-Point goals-Boston 1-10 (Day 1-3, Fox 0-1, Wesley 0-2, Barros 0-2, Brown 0-2), Cleveland 8-27 (Brandon 2-4, Ferry 2-6, Majerle 2-6, Phills 1-3, Mills 1-4, Crotty 0-1, Sura 0-1, Miner 0-1, Marshall 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds- Boston 58 (Fox, Ellison 9), Cleveland 55 (Cage 13). Assists- Boston 21 (Fox, Barros 4), Cleveland 22 (Brandon 4). Total fouls-Boston 25, Cleveland 20. Technicals-Clevland coach Fratello. A-15,778 (20,562).

Spurs 109, Hornets 102 Charlotte, N.C.

Vinny Del Negro scored 13 of his 17 points in the first quarter to fuel a torrid start by San Antonio. < San Antonio (109) - Elliott 7-12 8-11 23, Person 4-13 2-2 14, Robinson 9-15 5-6 23, Del Negro 7-10 2-2 17, Johnson 5-10 4-4 14, Reid 0-3 0-0 0, Rivers 2-4 5-5 9, Alexander 2-5 0-0 5, Perdue 2-3 0-0 4, Herrera 0-1 0-0 0, Lohaus 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 38-78 26-30 109.

Charlotte (102) - Johnson 8-15 4-5 21, Curry 5-12 0-0 10, Geiger 8-11 0-0 16, Rice 6-18 5-6 17, Anderson 2-8 0-0 5, Hancock 2-4 1-1 5, Parish 6-6 4-4 16, Addison 1-2 0-0 2, Goldwire 3-3 0-0 7, Zidek 0-0 0-0 0, Glass 1-1 1-1 3. Totals 42-80 15-17 102.

San Antonio 30 28 28 23 - 109 Charlotte 16 32 23 31 - 102

3-Point goals-San Antonio 7-20 (Person 4-10, Del Negro 1-1, Elliott 1-3, Alexander 1-3, Lohaus 0-2, Rivers 0-1), Charlotte 3-14 (Goldwire 1-1, Johnson 1-2, Anderson 1-4, Curry 0-2, Rice 0-5). Fouled out-Hancock. Rebounds-San Antonio 40 (Robinson 15), Charlotte 44 (Geiger 10). Assists- San Antonio 24 (Johnson 7), Charlotte 25 (Anderson 10). Total fouls-San Antonio 21, Charlotte 29. A-24,042 (23,698).

Bucks 114, Mavericks 111 Milwaukee

Vin Baker scored 36 points and had a key fadeaway basket and a lead-saving block in the closing seconds as Milwaukee outlasted Dallas.

Dallas (111) - Jones 4-7 2-2 10, McCloud 13-21 2-4 36, Meyer 2-7 2-4 6, Jackson 5-14 5-5 15, Kidd 5-13 0-0 11, Parks 0-3 0-0 0, Harris 5-7 2-2 13, Wood 2-4 4-4 8, Brooks 6-8 0-0 12. Totals 42-84 17-21 111.

Milwaukee (111) - Baker 14-21 8-8 36, Robinson 8-18 0-0 17, Benjamin 5-7 0-0 10, Douglas 7-12 0-0 17, Newman 6-10 4-6 16, Cummings 3-5 1-1 7, Keys 0-0 4-4 4, Mayberry 1-3 0-0 3, Conlon 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 46-78 17-19 114.

Dallas 15 39 29 28 - 111 Milwaukee 29 30 30 25 - 114

3-Point goals-Dallas 10-22 (McCloud 8-12, Kidd 1-3, Harris 1-3, Brooks 0-1, Jackson 0-3), Milwaukee 5-11 (Douglas 3-3, Robinson 1-3, Mayberry 1-3, Newman 0-2). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Dallas 36 (Meyer 9), Milwaukee 44 (Baker 8). Assists-Dallas 23 (Kidd 9), Milwaukee 32 (Douglas 11). Total fouls-Dallas 22, Milwaukee 22. Technical-Robinson. A-13,854 (18,633).

Lakers 99, Nuggets 78 Denver

Magic Johnson scored 16 points, dished out 12 assists and narrowly missed a triple-double with nine rebounds, leading Los Angeles past Denver.

Johnson had eight points, five assists and two rebounds in the fourth quarter alone, helping the Lakers expand a five-point lead to their final margin.

L.A. Lakers (99) - Ceballos 11-21 5-6 27, Campbell 6-15 2-2 14, Divac 7-13 0-0 14, Van Exel 4-12 0-0 11, Jones 2-3 0-0 6, Johnson 3-5 10-12 16, Threatt 1-4 0-0 2, Peeler 3-7 0-1 7, Lynch 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 37-81 19-23 99.

Denver (78) - D.Ellis 5-14 0-0 12, McDyess 4-13 2-6 10, Mutombo 8-10 4-5 20, Abdul-Rauf 4-13 1-1 10, Stith 8-14 0-0 17, Rose 2-5 1-2 5, L.Ellis 2-12 0-0 4, MacLean 0-2 0-0 0, Cvetkovic 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 33-84 8-14 78.

L.A. Lakers 26 15 25 33 - 99 Denver 23 22 16 17 - 78

3-Point goals-Los Angeles 6-16 (Van Exel 3-7, Jones 2-2, Peeler 1-2, Johnson 0-1, Ceballos 0-2, Threatt 0-2), Denver 4-13 (D.Ellis 2-6, Stith 1-1, Abdul-Rauf 1-5, Rose 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Los Angeles 56 (Divac 12), Denver 49 (Mutombo 17). Assists-Los Angeles 30 (Johnson 12), Denver 27 (Rose 8). Total fouls-Los Angeles 15, Denver 19. Technicals-Divac, MacLean, Denver coach Bickerstaff. A-17,171 (17,171).