Suns Talk as if They Control Laker Series

Maybe they have spent too much time in the Phoenix sun. Maybe it’s the new math.

Illogical as it sounds for a team facing a 2-1 deficit and elimination in a best-of-five playoff series, the Suns figure they are ahead of the game entering tonight’s meeting with the Lakers at the Forum.

Their reasoning? That by increasing the tempo in their 107-102 victory Tuesday night, they thwarted the slow-down, half-court strategy that formed the foundation of the Lakers’ two victories at Phoenix. Believing they can dictate the style again tonight, the Suns believe they can dictate the outcome of the series, too.

“We definitely wanted to get running more, and we definitely succeeded at that,” said Charles Barkley, who leads both teams with 26.3-point and 15.7-rebound averages. “I think people knew that in the half-court set we were going to have trouble matching with a bigger team.

“We have a boxer’s mentality. We don’t want to slug it out with people, we want to run. The first two games were more like a puncher’s mentality. (Tuesday) night was more a boxer’s mentality. We definitely want to speed it up. We don’t want to get into that half-court set. Hopefully, we won’t play a slow-down game any more after this series.”

Given that only three teams in NBA history have rallied to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games--none of them after losing those games at home--Barkley seems presumptuous in discussing the Suns’ plans for the next round.

And the Lakers, who have not forgotten Phoenix Coach Paul Westphal’s prediction that his team would win both games at the Forum and take the series in five games, were happy to remind the Suns on Wednesday that basic addition means that two victories is still better than one.

“I don’t worry at all, because I think the pressure is still on them,” said center Vlade Divac, who used the hook shot taught him by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to score a career playoff-high 30 points Tuesday.

“We need one win and they need two. Maybe they can win three in a row. Maybe we can lose Thursday and win Sunday. If I have a choice, we win Thursday.”

Said Laker Coach Randy Pfund: “I’m not going to guarantee anything. I’ll leave that to the other guy (Westphal). I don’t think it’s a fluke. I think we’re playing with them, and I think we can play with them on Thursday and we’ve got a very good chance of winning the basketball game.”

It will be more difficult for them to win a faster game.

“We know that’s something they like and it’s valuable to them, but I really feel this team is committed to doing what has to be done to get the job done,” said A.C. Green, whose 13-rebound average leads the Lakers. “If it’s sort of trading blows with them for a period of time, I think we’ll just have to fend for ourselves and . . . be within striking distance by the third and fourth quarter.

“We have to be committed to getting back defensively and matching up with their players, and make a concerted effort off the boards. We have to try to keep them from getting fast-break chances, and we have to try to put pressure on their outside shooters.”

They also have to commit fewer than the 16 turnovers they made Tuesday, and they must get stronger contributions from Byron Scott and James Worthy.

Scott, who was 13 for 21 with 39 points in the first two games, mustered only four shots Tuesday against constant double-teaming. Worthy, who was open from 15 feet when he missed a potential go-ahead jump shot in the final minute Tuesday, was six for 18 and is 15 for 46 (31.9%) in the series.

“He got a lot of opportunity baskets in the first two games, and he’s too good a shooter to leave open,” Sun guard Dan Majerle said of Scott. “We decided to concentrate on not giving him open shots instead of concentrating on their big guys. We responded well to pressure (Tuesday). The Lakers have played extremely well, and we haven’t hit our stride yet. I think we made a turn for the better as far as our up-tempo game.”

To keep the series from turning irreversibly in the Suns’ favor, Scott said the Lakers must set the pace and shoot better tonight. They shot a series-low 42.1% (40 for 95) Tuesday.

“If we can slow the tempo down like we did in Game 1 and 2 and be real effective in the half-court set, it takes away a lot of those running opportunities,” Scott said. “Plus, not turning the ball over. If we don’t turn the ball over, we’ll be in real good shape.

“Realistically, you have to look at it as saying, ‘OK, we took their best shot Tuesday and we still were right there.’ Thursday, we have to play a little bit better and make a couple of minor adjustments and hopefully, we’ll be over the hump and win the game.”