With Barkley and Danny Ainge out with injuries, Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle took control in the second half of Sunday night's 119-107 Phoenix victory over the Miami Heat.
"If I can suck it up and help us win, I've got to play," said Johnson, who said his strained rib cage hurt so much he couldn't even yell at times. However, that didn't keep him from scoring eight of his 29 points in the final 2:29.
"If I have to take a shot or something to get out there, I'll do it. I only have a few years left in this game, and I have to be out there for this team," Johnson said of his performance, which included nine assists.
"Kevin Johnson is one of the few great players at point guard," Heat coach Kevin Loughery said.
Majerle finished with 20 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
Harold Miner of the Heat and Danny Manning of the Suns were ejected with 10:59 left in the game. Miner went after Suns center Joe Kleine and Manning protested his fifth foul too vehemently.
The Suns settled down, though, and Johnson returned from a breather to hit a 20-foot jumper from the top of the key, ending an 8-0 Miami run and giving Phoenix a 109-105 lead. He made six free throws in the final minute.
Phoenix, the only NBA team the Heat has never beaten, improved to 15-0 in the series.
In games Monday, Chicago beat Philadelphia, San Antonio beat New Jersey and Utah beat Atlanta.
Bulls 98, 76ers 83. At Chicago, Toni Kukoc scored 19 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, when he and Chicago's other reserves outscored Philadelphia 34-14.
It was the second straight career-high scoring game for Kukoc, who during training camp balked at being a backup. The second-year pro from Croatia had 25 points Saturday against Washington.
Scottie Pippen, the only Chicago starter to play in the final period, scored 22 points. Jeff Malone had 25 points and Clarence Weatherspoon 20 for the 76ers, who fell to 0-3.
Spurs 105, Nets 96. The Spurs saw the Nets (0-3) whittle a 20-point deficit to five with 38 seconds left before coming away with their first victory of the season. David Robinson and Chuck Person added 18 points apiece as the Spurs handed New Jersey and rookie coach Butch Beard its third straight loss.
"There's no question this was a big win for us," said Robinson, who became the third Spurs player to score 10,000 points for the Spurs. The center from Navy, in his sixth season, reached the 10,000-point mark with a spinning bank shot with 2:31 left in the first quarter.
"This was unexpected and is a great milestone for me," said Robinson, who was saluted by a 45-second standing ovation after scoring the basket.
Jazz 104, Hawks 86. At Salt Lake City the Hawks missed Kevin Willis, who was traded earlier in the day to Miami for Steve Smith and Grant Long.
Atlanta was outrebounded 52-37 and outscored 51-29 in the second half.
Karl Malone scored 28 points, reserve guard Walter Bond scored 14 and David Benoit had 13. Coach Jerry Sloan won his 400th career game.
More Results: See Scorecard
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