Knicks Find Suns’ Bite Is for Real

The Phoenix Suns had all their mainstays but were missing some teeth. The New York Knicks were missing their big player--and it showed.

Charles Barkley scored six points in the final 2:33, Kevin Johnson scored 17 of his 24 points in the second half and the Suns defeated the Knicks, 113-105, Sunday at Phoenix while Patrick Ewing watched in street clothes because of a sprained ankle.

Barkley, who was bothered by bask spasms from the second quarter on, finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds. Michael Finley added 17 points for Phoenix, which outrebounded the Knicks, 49-29.

J.R. Reid, Ewing’s replacement, had season-highs of 22 points and 11 rebounds and elbowed out two of A.C. Green’s front teeth with 10:54 left in the game. Green picked up the teeth and left for the locker room.

Washington 111, Milwaukee 103--Juwan Howard had 25 points and 14 rebounds at Landover, Md., as the Bullets ended a three-game losing streak despite Vin Baker’s 35 points and career-high 21 rebounds.

Atlanta 92, Minnesota 76--Christian Laettner didn’t do much in his return to Minnesota, but he didn’t need to as Grant Long scored a season-high 24 points at Minneapolis.

Laettner, traded Thursday to Atlanta, was booed often and was in foul trouble most of the game before finishing with seven points and seven rebounds.

Long, whose previous high was 23 points, also had 13 rebounds for Atlanta. Steve Smith had 11 of his 21 points in the third quarter as the Hawks rallied from a 47-44 deficit.

San Antonio 95, Vancouver 84--David Robinson had a below-average performance, but still managed to score nine of his 20 points in the last quarter to lead the Spurs at Vancouver.

Robinson, who was six for 19 from the field, had two baskets in a 6-0 run that broke a 79-79 deadlock with four minutes left.

Sean Elliott led the Spurs with 29 points.

Detroit 93, Portland 81--Terry Mills put Detroit ahead for good with a three-point basket and the Pistons scored the final 13 points of the game at Portland.

Rod Strickland was missing from Portland’s lineup once again, and the Trail Blazers suspended him indefinitely for not showing up. His replacement, Rumeal Robinson, had 19 points.

Miami 108, Philadelphia 101--The revamped Heat, led by newcomer Tim Hardaway’s 20 points and nine assists, handed Philadelphia its seventh loss in a row.

New Jersey 111, Boston 105--The Nets came back after blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead, scoring the game’s final six points from the free-throw line to defeat the Celtics at East Rutherford, N.J. The Nets have won six of seven games since the All-Star break.

Dallas 105, Toronto 98--Jim Jackson scored 24 points and George McCloud 22 at Dallas as the Mavericks improved their record against first-year expansion teams to 17-1. Damon Stoudamire led the Raptors with 23 points.