Chambers Heats Up in Suns’ 120-105 Win : NBA playoffs: After another slow start, he scores 15 points in fourth quarter as Phoenix takes 2-1 lead over Utah.

A familiar name from the not-too-distant past was heard from Wednesday night, just in time to turn the course of a series.

Tom Chambers, the NBA’s fourth-leading scorer during the regular season, looked the part again after a two-game hiatus to open the playoffs, specifically a combined seven of 28 from the field.

He started Game 3 that way, too, but scored 15 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Phoenix Suns past the Utah Jazz, 120-105, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum and to a 2-1 series advantage.

Chambers, who went six of nine in the second half after missing his first three shots, made five shots in a row during one stretch of the fourth quarter, having success inside and with the jumper. His two biggest baskets came when Utah closed to within 101-96 with 4:30 left, part of a rally that restored the Suns’ lead to 107-96.

Now, Utah needs a collective streak. Win two in a row, or be eliminated in the first round for the second consecutive season. The end could come as soon as Friday in Game 4 here.

By the time it got to Phoenix, this series, justifiably promoted as one of the best first-round matchups in years, was rife with bad timing, Chambers just one of the many instances.

The Suns were again contending with Kevin Johnson’s intestinal virus, which required a brief hospital visit in Salt Lake City before he could play in Game 2. The All-Star point guard said he felt all but cured after scoring 22 points as Phoenix evened the series, but he obviously wasn’t.

Tuesday, there was another trip to the hospital. He skipped practice, and then the Wednesday shoot-around, and, like Sunday, was listed as questionable. So of course he started. And he scored 29 points.

Utah had its own problems. Coming into an arena where it had lost nine straight, the temperature of star Karl Malone was fine, medically speaking. His game, however, was in desperate need of an injection. Malone stumbled through the first two games by shooting 36.6%, blowing a lot of easy attempts, and playing without much discipline. Of his six fouls Sunday in Game 2, four were offensive.

He continued the slump in the first half. In 19 minutes, Malone connected on only three of 11 attempts, though the Jazz shot 53.8% even with that. Thurl Bailey, the other forward, compensated by scoring 19 of his 30 points in the half. Malone finished with 26 points.

Johnson played 23 of a possible 24 minutes in the first half, making five of 12 shots to help Phoenix to a 56-55 halftime edge.

When Utah finally put together a surge, it still wasn’t enough. The Jazz opened the third quarter with a 14-4 charge to take a 69-60 lead, but the Suns answered with a 30-10 rally--Johnson contributing 16 points and three assists.

Eddie Johnson tipped in his own miss with 16 seconds left in the quarter to give Phoenix a 90-79 lead. Two free throws by John Stockton cut the Jazz deficit to 90-81 after three quarters.