Too Much Barkley Too Much for Bulls

Suddenly, the Chicago Bulls are on a losing streak. And suddenly, Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns are looking like an NBA power again.

Barkley scored 35 points and grabbed 16 rebounds Tuesday night as the Suns handed the Bulls only their fifth loss of the season--but their second in three nights, 106-96, at Phoenix.

“The Bulls are the best team in the NBA, but they can be beat if you play well,” Barkley said. “They’re not going to cakewalk through the NBA like everybody thinks . . . I mean, they might win 70 games, but it’s going to be tough.”

Said Scottie Pippen, who had 18 points: “It was a tough loss for us after falling to Denver the other night. We didn’t really come back with any energy or any type of enthusiasm.”

Elliot Perry broke a 96-96 tie with two free throws and a jumper. After a timeout, Barkley stole the in-bounds pass for his breakaway dunk, and the celebrating began.

Michael Jordan scored 12 of his 28 points in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter and helped the Bulls come from as many as nine points behind to tie it at 93 and 96.

Phoenix guard Kevin Johnson had 20 points and 10 assists, but left the game because of a hamstring pull in the third quarter.

Orlando 112, Sacramento 102--The Magic moved a game closer to the NBA record for home victories at the start of a season with a victory over the Kings.

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

The record for home victories at the start of a season is 27, set by Washington in 1946-47. Boston holds the league mark for consecutive wins at home overall with a streak of 38 that began in December 1985 and ended the following November.

Mitch Richmond scored 23 of his 25 points in the second half for Sacramento.

Seattle 99, Houston 94--The SuperSonics made it seven consecutive victories over the Rockets, getting 22 points each from Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton in a victory at Seattle.

Clyde Drexler topped the Rockets with 24 points.

The Sonics beat the two-time defending NBA champions for the second time in four nights. They won in overtime, 104-103, at Houston on Saturday night.

Cleveland 91, Boston 73--Bobby Phills scored 21 points and the Cavaliers’ league-leading defense let only two Celtics reach double figures at Cleveland.

The victory was Cleveland’s fourth in a row. The Celtics, whose point total was a season low by 12 points, lost for the 10th time in 13 games.

Todd Day led Boston with 14 points, and David Wesley had seven points in the fourth quarter to finish with 11.

San Antonio 109, Charlotte 102--Vinny Del Negro scored 13 of his 17 points in the first quarter to fuel a torrid start by the Spurs at Charlotte, N.C.

The Spurs made their first seven field-goal tries and 10 of 11 in a 20-0 run that boosted them to an 18-point advantage in the game’s opening six minutes.

David Robinson had 23 points and 15 rebounds as San Antonio won for the fourth time in five games.

Larry Johnson led Charlotte with 21 points.

Milwaukee 114, Dallas 111--Vin Baker scored 36 points and had a key fadeaway basket and a lead-saving block in the closing seconds as the Bucks outlasted the Mavericks at Milwaukee.

The Mavericks overcame a 22-point first-half deficit and tied it at 109 on George McCloud’s jumper with a minute left. McCloud had a season-high 36 points.

With Milwaukee leading, 109-108, after a Johnny Newman free throw, Baker scored on his fadeaway to put them ahead, 112-109, with 19.9 seconds left. After a timeout, Baker blocked Jimmy Jackson’s jumper.

NBA Notes

Anthony Tucker, who has yet to play a regular-season game for the New York Knicks because of a back injury, was arrested at 4 a.m. Tuesday in New York and charged with assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and driving while intoxicated.