NBA Roundup : Suns Finish Big Season With Victory

Although they failed to overtake the Lakers and win the Pacific Division title, the Phoenix Suns completed the greatest turnabout in National Basketball Assn. history with a 121-111 victory over the Spurs Saturday night at San Antonio.

The Suns were 28-54 last season, but with the additions of free-agent forward Tom Chambers, reserves Ty Corbin and Dan Majerle, plus the development of playmaker Kevin Johnson and the shooting of Eddie Johnson, they improved to 55-27.

Chambers rested a bruised hip Saturday night, but Corbin scored 25 points, and Johnson scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to bring the Suns from behind.

Miami 91, Houston 89--The Rockets followed their upset victory at Phoenix Friday night with this loss at Houston.

Kevin Edwards’ driving layup with four seconds remaining climaxed an 18-7 run in the closing minutes that gave the Heat its 15th victory in 82 games.

The Rockets led by nine points with 5:21 left, when the Heat started its run.

New York Knicks 109, New Jersey 99--Mark Jackson scored 20 points, including a three-point basket that gave the Knicks the lead for good in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden.

The victory left the Knicks with a 35-6 record at home, tying the club’s all-time mark set by the 1972-73 NBA championship team.

New Jersey finished by losing 20 of its last 23 games and its last 16 on the road.

Indiana 117, Milwaukee 110--Reggie Miller scored 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter at Milwaukee as the Pacers outfought the Bucks down the stretch.

The upset prevented the Bucks from winning their 50th game. It was the first road victory for the Pacers in 14 games against Central Division competition. The Pacers, who played winning ball the last one-third of the season, finished 28-54.

Utah 111, Golden State 95--A late-season slump prevented the Warriors from staging a turnaround as big as the Suns’. This loss at Salt Lake City was their sixth in a row.

Despite the slump down the stretch, the Warriors finished with a 43-39 record, an improvement of 23 games.

Karl Malone missed another game with a sprained ankle but he is expected to play Thursday night when the Jazz play host to the Warriors in the opening game of the best-of-five first-round series.