After 13 Losses, Suns Net Their First Victory

The streak is history, and the Phoenix Suns hope it stays in the books for a long time.

“It’s been hard the last couple of days to look at the box scores,” Kevin Johnson said Wednesday night after the Suns beat the New Jersey Nets, 99-77, at Phoenix, to end a franchise-record 13-game losing streak.

“You see a team 0-10, 0-12 and then 0-13. It’s tough to get to that point. It got downright embarrassing.”

Wesley Person scored a season-high 22 points, Michael Finley added 18 and Johnson had 17 points and eight assists.

The victory was the first for Coach Danny Ainge, who took over when Cotton Fitzsimmons stepped aside after the team’s eighth loss.

“You would like to get 10 wins in one game, but you can’t do that,” Ainge said. “To put this in perspective, this is a team we’re supposed to beat on our home court. I told the players that. We have a long way to go.”

Phoenix avoided matching the NBA record for a season-opening losing streak, 17, by the Miami Heat in 1988.

Utah 107, Denver 103--The Jazz staged a huge second-half comeback at Salt Lake City.

The Nuggets led, 70-36, at halftime, but the Jazz outscored them, 71-33, in the second half.

Jeff Hornacek scored 29 points, including five in the final 1:16 to cap the comeback, and Karl Malone added 31 points and 17 rebounds.

Portland 120, San Antonio 109--Kenny Anderson scored 25 points, Arvydas Sabonis added 23 and the Trail Blazers made 13 of 14 free throws in the final 90 seconds at San Antonio.

Orlando 79, Atlanta 75--Nick Anderson, shut down offensively for 45 minutes, made three three-point baskets in the final 2:40 to lift the Magic at Orlando.

Seattle 106, Minnesota 98--Detlef Schrempf and Hersey Hawkins tied season highs with 27 and 24 points, respectively, and the SuperSonics withstood five three-point shots in the fourth quarter by Shane Heal at Minneapolis.

Milwaukee 92, Cleveland 75--Vin Baker and Glenn Robinson scored 22 points each at Milwaukee and the Bucks ended a 10-game losing streak to the Cavaliers.

Toronto 92, Charlotte 88--Popeye Jones grabbed a club-record 18 rebounds and made two key free throws with 23 seconds to play as the Raptors ended a six-game losing streak at Toronto.

Detroit 87, Vancouver 78--Lindsey Hunter made four three-point baskets in the first five minutes and scored 24 points to lead the Pistons over the short-handed Grizzlies at Auburn Hills, Mich.

NBA Notes

Marcus Camby, who was carried off the court on a stretcher during warmups Tuesday night, has a strained lower back, but the Toronto Raptor rookie might be able to play Saturday. Doctors found no neurological damage. . . . Jerry Stackhouse of the Philadelphia 76ers has a degenerative disease of the cornea that has reduced his left eye vision but does not threaten his career. The team’s starting shooting guard will be fitted Monday with one of four sets of specialized contact lenses designed to put pressure on the cornea and stem the disease.