NBA ROUNDUP : Hurley Takes Kings Past Suns, 107-89

Bobby Hurley completed his remarkable comeback from a near-fatal auto crash with 11 points and five assists Friday night, helping the Kings to a 107-89 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Sacramento.

Mitch Richmond led the Kings with 20 points. Seven Sacramento players scored in double figures, including Walt Williams with 16 and Olden Polynice with 13. The Kings led by as many as 29 points in the third quarter.

Wayman Tisdale had 16 points for the Suns, expected to be contenders for the NBA title, who were playing without Charles Barkley. Danny Manning added 14 points before fouling out early in the fourth quarter.

It was Hurley’s first regular-season game since Dec. 12, when his car was broadsided by a station wagon as he drove home from a King loss. His injuries included collapsed lungs and a severed windpipe, and he clung to life during eight hours of surgery.

Hurley had seven points as the Kings went on a 21-3 run midway through the second period to turn a tie into an 18-point Sacramento lead. Hurley also had a steal and an lob pass to Williams for a dunk during the run.

“The way it turned out couldn’t have been written any better,” Hurley said, balancing a huge ice pack on his right knee. “I had the confidence I could be back because I put the time in to come back.”

Sacramento never trailed in the game, in which Phoenix shot 38% and was outrebounded, 56-38.

Barkley was sidelined after burning his corneas when he inadvertently rubbed body lotion into his eyes during an Eric Clapton concert Wednesday night.

Washington 110, Orlando 108--Rex Chapman hit a running jumper with less than a second left as the Bullets overcame a 17-point deficit and Shaquille O’Neal’s 28 points to defeat the Magic in Landover. Md.

Washington trailed, 108-107, with 2.4 seconds left when Mitchell Butler bounced an inbound pass from midcourt to Chapman, who sank a 20-footer from the left side of the key. He was fouled by Horace Grant and made the free throw for the final margin.

Chapman’s basket set off a wild celebration by the Bullets, who won only 24 games last season.

O’Neal scored seven of Orlando’s final nine points, grabbed 12 rebounds and helped foul out Washington centers Kevin Duckworth and Gheorghe Muresan. Grant, obtained as a free agent during the off-season, scored 20 in his debut and Nick Anderson had 19.

Tom Gugliotta scored 24 points, Chapman 21 and Calbert Cheaney 20 for the Bullets, who won an opener for the first time since 1989.

Milwaukee 91, Philadelphia 86-- With management still waiting to finalize the contract of the NBA’s No. 1 draft pick, Glenn Robinson, Milwaukee opened its season with a five-point victory at home over the 76ers.

Vin Baker scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Bucks. Reserve Marty Conlon added a career-high 20 and Johnny Newman also scored 20 for Milwaukee.

New York 120, Boston 107--The Knicks, who fell one victory short of the NBA title last season, won the final season opener at 65-year-old Boston Garden.

The Eastern Conference champions were led by Charles Smith, who scored 23 points, and Patrick Ewing, who had 21 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

It was the Knicks’ seventh consecutive victory over the Celtics.

Dominique Wilkins, Boston’s main off-season acquisition, scored 25 points.

Houston 90, New Jersey 86--Hakeem Olajuwon scored 19 points, including a turnaround jumper with 1:17 left, as the Rockets opened defense of their NBA title by beating the Nets in Houston.

Derrick Coleman led New Jersey with 20 points. Otis Thorpe and Vernon Maxwell each scored 17 for the Rockets.

Denver 130, Minnesota 108--Bryant Stith scored 25 points and Robert Pack had 23 as the Nuggets easily defeated the Timberwolves in Denver.

Rookie Donyell Marshall led the Timberwolves with 26 points in his NBA debut, including five three-pointers.

Indiana 94, Atlanta 92--Antonio Davis hit two free throws with four seconds remaining as the Pacers edged the Hawks in Atlanta.

The Hawks had two chances to force overtime in the final seconds when Ken Norman missed a running jumper in the lane and Kevin Willis failed on a follow tip.

Mark Jackson led the Pacers with 21 points in his debut and Reggie Miller added 20.

Willis led the Hawks with 24 points and 17 rebounds.

Chicago 89, Charlotte 83--Jo Jo English sparked an 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter as the Bulls opened their United Center era with a victory over the Hornets in Chicago.

Scottie Pippen scored 22 points for Chicago, which held Charlotte to three baskets in the final quarter.

Larry Johnson had 17 points for the Hornets, who are 4-23 against the Bulls. Charlotte played without injured center Alonzo Mourning.

The Bulls moved into their new, $175-million arena after spending their first 28 seasons at Chicago Stadium. The crowd of 22,313 was the largest to see a Bulls game and gave them their 341st consecutive sellout since 1987.

Golden State 123, San Antonio 118--Tim Hardaway scored 29 points to lead the Warriors past the Spurs at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

David Robinson and Avery Johnson led the Spurs with 27 points each. Terry Cummings and Sean Elliott each had 17.

Utah 119, Miami 108--Jeff Hornacek scored 21 points and Karl Malone added 20, including 14 in the third quarter, as the Jazz opened the season with a victory in Salt Lake City.