NBA ROUNDUP : Johnson Takes Charge and Suns Beat Mavericks

The Phoenix Suns needed a lift, and Kevin Johnson obliged.

“He took over the game,” Danny Ainge said Friday night after watching the speedy point guard score 14 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, rallying the Suns to a 99-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix. “He made jumper after jumper, he distributed the ball. He just took over.”

Johnson twice rallied the Suns from six-point deficits in the last quarter, and Charles Barkley blocked a shot by Jim Jackson in the final seconds, handing the Mavericks their 13th consecutive loss.

After Barkley’s block, Ainge made two free throws, giving Phoenix a 97-92 lead with 15 seconds left.

Johnson, who made four free throws in the final 27 seconds, made two with 10 seconds to go after Doug Smith’s basket for the Mavericks.

Jackson had 22 of his 31 points in the second half, but wasn’t able to prevent the Mavericks’ 59th loss in 67 games.

One more Phoenix victory, or a loss by the Lakers, will clinch a playoff spot for the Suns, the second-place team in the Pacific Division.

New York 85, Indiana 82--Derek Harper’s layup with 35 seconds left gave the Knicks the lead for good as they survived a late 13-0 run by the Pacers at Indianapolis to extend their longest winning streak in 21 years to 12 games.

With Atlanta’s loss to the Clippers, New York took over first place in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland 105, Philadelphia 88--The Cavaliers shot 51% from the field as they handed the 76ers their ninth consecutive home defeat.

The loss also was the 76ers’ 21st in 22 games overall and 13th consecutive defeat against the Cavaliers, who haven’t lost to Philadelphia since March 31, 1991.

New Jersey 110, Chicago 87--The Nets made the most of Scottie Pippen’s ejection at East Rutherford, N.J., to snap a string of 12 consecutive losses to the Bulls.

The Bulls trailed, 61-54, at 7:47 of the third quarter after two free throws by Pippen. But 3:18 later, Pippen was called for an offensive foul and got into a shoving match with the Nets’ Rick Mahorn. Both players were ejected.

Utah 103, Milwaukee 96--Karl Malone scored 27 points and John Stockton had 17 points and 14 assists at Salt Lake City to help the Jazz end a five-game losing streak.

The Jazz had lost six of seven after winning 10 straight.

Charlotte 106, Detroit 92--Frank Brickowski snapped out of a scoring slump to help the Hornets win at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Brickowski was scoreless in Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta and had failed to reach double figures in five of his previous seven games. He scored 18 points.

Portland 100, Sacramento 91--Tracy Murray scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, helping the Trail Blazers to their 11th consecutive home victory.

The Kings have lost 28 of 35 road games this season. The Trail Blazers held Mitch Richmond to 10 points, 14 under his average.