NBA ROUNDUP : Suns Make a Statement by Beating Bulls

The Phoenix Suns are clearly the best in the West. But with the playoffs approaching, they know their chances of an NBA title hinge on proving they are the best of the rest.

They bolstered that argument Tuesday night at Chicago where they withstood a 44-point performance from Michael Jordan to defeat the Bulls, 113-109.

The Suns encountered criticism earlier this season for their 0-4 record against Chicago, Cleveland and New York, but since, Phoenix has defeated the Knicks and the Bulls.

Tuesday’s loss ended Chicago’s six-game winning streak.

It was the fifth victory in a row for the Suns, who improved their road mark to 23-11, best in the NBA.

Cedric Ceballos, Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson combined for 76 points for Phoenix, Ceballos leading the way with 27.

Jordan missed a three-point attempt in the final 10 seconds that would have tied the score.

Minnesota 103, Golden State 100--Micheal Williams put the Timberwolves ahead to stay with a 17-footer with 26 seconds to play at Oakland and Minnesota made six consecutive free throws down the stretch to break a nine-game road losing streak.

The victory was the Timberwolves’ first against the Warriors in 10 games.

Williams led all scorers with 25 points and added a game-high 13 assists.

Tyrone Hill had a career-high 24 points and 13 rebounds for the Warriors.

San Antonio 99, Seattle 97--The Spurs qualified for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season by coming back from a 20-point third-quarter deficit at San Antonio.

Leading, 78-58, with 3:26 to play in the third period, Seattle made only four field goals in the fourth quarter, and only one in the final five minutes.

David Robinson scored 21 points for the Spurs and Sean Elliott added 19, including the game-winner with 2.4 seconds to play.

New Jersey 91, Philadelphia 77--The Nets are already playing without the injured Kenny Anderson and Drazen Petrovic, and now Derrick Coleman might join them on the sidelines.

Coleman was ejected in the third quarter of New Jersey’s victory at East Rutherford after a brief scuffle with Armon Gilliam that ended with Coleman missing a wild roundhouse left and then engaging in a shouting match with referee Bob Delaney.

The incident is bound to be reviewed by the NBA and there is a chance Coleman could be hit with a suspension.

Neither Coleman nor Gilliam was hurt in the scuffle that started when Gilliam turned toward the basket with his elbows extended near Coleman’s face.

Coleman immediately tried to hit Gilliam with his right elbow and then missed with a roundhouse left.

New Jersey led, 66-59, when the players were ejected and didn’t let up without its big gun, outscoring Philadelphia, 24-18, down the stretch.

Rafael Addison’s 21 points led the Nets, who have won seven in a row at home and 19 of 22.

Hersey Hawkins had 17 for the 76ers, who shot only 35.5 % from the field.

New York 109, Sacramento 87--Patrick Ewing had 19 points and 17 rebounds to lead New York to its 14th consecutive home victory.

It was also the Knicks’ 11th consecutive victory at home against the Kings, who have not won at Madison Square Garden since Nov. 17, 1981.

New York finished March with a 12-2 record, the first time it has won that many games in a month since going 12-3 in January, 1973.

Miami 116, Charlotte 89--Rony Seikaly’s 20 points and 15 rebounds at Charlotte led the surging Heat to its 15th victory in its last 21 games.

The streak has moved Miami to within 2 1/2 games of the eighth playoff spot in the East.

Charlotte, which seemed assured of a playoff spot before losing seven of its last nine games, suffered its most lopsided home loss of the season and its second worst defeat overall.

Alonzo Mourning led the Hornets with 22 points.