NBA ROUNDUP : Barkley, Ainge Keep Suns on the Rise

Charles Barkley carried Phoenix in the first half and Danny Ainge scored 16 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter Friday night at Phoenix, leading the Suns past the Golden State Warriors, 121-107.

Barkley, who also had 11 rebounds and seven assists, scored 20 of his 29 points before halftime. Chris Mullin had 27 points for the Warriors, including a technical free throw and a three-pointer in a 33-second span early in the fourth quarter that cut a seven-point Phoenix lead to three, 88-85.

But Ainge, who had made nine of 11 shots, scored the last eight points of a 10-0 run midway through the quarter, making a three-point play, a short basket and a three-pointer for a 102-88 Suns lead.

The Suns’ Kevin Johnson, playing his fourth game after missing the first six with a strained groin, pulled his left hamstring and will likely miss Saturday night’s rematch at Oakland.

“When you lose one of the best players in the league, it’s got to have an impact, but Frankie (Frank Johnson, who had nine assists) has been playing really well, playing with a lot of confidence, and Negele Knight is playing well, too,” Ainge said.

Ainge said he was not looking to carry the team in the last quarter, although the 22 points marked his high with the Suns.

“I was just getting a lot of open shots outside, and then I was getting open in the transition game,” Ainge said.

Barkley said Ainge’s scoring was an example of the Suns’ strength.

“That’s our offense--to get the ball down low to me, and when I get doubled, we start making jumpers,” Barkley said.

Said Golden State’s Mullin: “They just made the plays. That’s what it came down to. We’re hanging in there for three quarters. We just don’t finish up.”

Orlando 130, Indiana 116--Scott Skiles scored 32 points and Shaquille O’Neal had 21 points and 11 rebounds before a sellout at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. A crowd of 16,530 came to see O’Neal, but he was was upstaged by Skiles, who broke the 30-point mark for the second game in a row. Orlando also got 23 points from Jeff Turner.

Reggie Miller led the Pacers with a season-high 29 points. Detlef Schrempf added 18 points, Pooh Richardson scored 16, and Vern Fleming had 15.

The sellout was the first of the season for the Pacers, who sold out only four times last season.

Boston 111, Charlotte 102--Robert Parish scored 24 points and held Alonzo Mourning to five for 18 shooting as the Celtics ended a five-game Hornet winning streak in a game at Boston.

Xavier McDaniel added 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who have won two games in a row for the first time this season.

“Two in a row. We’re on a roll,” Celtics Coach Chris Ford said.

Parish, at 39 the oldest player in the NBA, entered the game averaging only 10.1 points a game. But he scored 14 in the first half, often taking advantage of Mourning’s poor defense, and added 10 in the second half.

New Jersey 112, Utah 110--The Jazz, which had the best home record last season, are having problems at Salt Lake City. Sam Bowie had 27 points and 18 rebounds as the Nets broke an 11-game losing streak. Bowie had 21 of his points in the first half and Drazen Petrovic scored nine of his 20 in the fourth quarter. Karl Malone led all scorers with 32 points for the Jazz, which is 1-4 at the Delta Center, and 5-1 on the road.

“We are not a good team in this building,” Jeff Malone said. “We are struggling in this building. We can’t keep doing that.”

Said Chuck Daly, the Nets’ coach: “I don’t know how we’re doing it--with mirrors, I guess. I thought Bowie was sensational . . . he stepped it up big time.”

Houston 101, Miami 93--It’s difficult enough for NBA teams to match up against Hakeem Olajuwon with their starting center. The Heat had to play without their three best centers, and Olajuwon was too much to handle.

Fourth-stringer Matt Geiger, a rookie from Georgia Tech, drew the assignment of guarding Olajuwon as Miami played without Rony Seikaly, Alec Kessler and John Salley.

Olajuwon made the most of the mismatch by scoring 33 points, getting 17 rebounds and blocking seven shots to lead the Rockets at Miami.

“The shots were there,” Olajuwon said. “The coach told me not to put it on the floor, but just to shoot it.”

He made 16 of 20, and all but four of Olajuwon’s baskets came from 10 feet out or further.

Cleveland 122, Atlanta 101--Gerald Wilkins outscored his brother Dominique, 20-13, and the Cavaliers made their first 11 shots in the second half to win at Richfield, Ohio. Cleveland ended the Hawks’ three-game winning streak.

Minnesota 102, Washington 83--Chuck Person scored 17 of his game-high 26 points in the first quarter as the Timberwolves took an early 12-point lead and stayed ahead throughout at Baltimore. The victory snapped a five-game losing streak for Minnesota, which had not won since an 88-84 triumph at New Jersey Nov. 12. Washington has lost three in a row.

Christian Laettner had 25 points and nine rebounds for the Timberwolves. Harvey Grant led Washington with 19 points. Pervis Ellison, playing for the first time in six games, added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Tom Gugliotta had 15.

Milwaukee 115, Philadelphia 111--Blue Edwards made 10 of 15 shots, including a jumper with 39 seconds left, leading the Bucks at Philadelphia. Edwards scored 26 and Alvin Robertson added 18 for the Bucks, who won their fourth of six road games.

Seattle 127, Dallas 104--Gary Payton scored a career-high 31 points--his second consecutive career-best game--as the SuperSonics cruised at Dallas. Dana Barros added 26 points, two short of his career-high, and Eddie Johnson scored 20 as Seattle improved to 8-3.