European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 1, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes wednesday february 1,1989 Phoenix romps to 126-100 win Over nuggets by the associated press Phoenix Phoenix suns coach Cotton Fitzsimmons says it was simply a Case of turnaround being fair play. Eddie Johnson scored 26 Points while Tom Chambers and Armon Gilliam added 20 each As the suns used a lop sided first half to beat the Denver nug gets 126-100 monday night in a Battle of the Aba s top two offences. By contrast in Denver saturday night the nuggets led virtually from Start to finish and beat Phoenix 143-138. We could t Stop them up there and they could t Stop us Down Here. It was that simple Fitzsimmons said. We needed to put the stops to them and we did with some balanced scoring and Good defense. We out rebounded Denver 57-35 and had 12 steals. We really played  we knew we had to come out and control the Tempo Early said Johnson who Sank 11 of his 17 Field goals. The suns whose 117.1 average is second Only to Denver s 121.4, went ahead to stay at 22-12 after a 13-0 run with 6 35 left in the first Quarter. Rookie Forward Tim Perry making his eighth Aba Start had seven Points in the decisive spurt. Phoenix ahead 42-28 after the opening period then used a 14-2 run for a 65-42 Lead 3 15 before halftime. Johnson came off the Bench to score seven Points in the spurt on a jumper tap in and 3-Point goal. The suns made 76 percent of their Field goals 16 of 21 in the second Quarter and led 70-49 at halftime As Chambers had 14 Points Johnson 13 and Gilliam 11. Denver trailing 85-55 with 6 55 to go in the third Quarter closed to 91-70 with 3 34 left behind Alex English s eight Point Effort. But Perry and Gilliam Sank two baskets apiece to put the suns ahead 103-78 entering the fourth Quarter. Perry finished with a career High 19 Points As Phoenix improved its Home re Cord to 18-3 with its 15th Victory in the last 16 games Here. The nuggets 5-16 on the Road this season were paced by English s 20 Points. Michael Adams had 18 including four 3-Point goals while fat lever added 13 Points. In other games monday night Trail blazers 130, hornets 118 Portland Ore. Clyde Drexler scored 32 Points and Caldwell Jones led no Roundup a third period surge that lifted Portland Over Charlotte. With the game tied at 75, Jones scored All five of his Points during a 10-0 spurt that put Portland in command. The Trail blazers built their Lead to 104-88 after three quarters. Kevin Duckworth scored 19 Points and Terry Porter had 17 Points 10 assists and eight rebounds for Portland. Reserve Kelly Tripucka scored 24 Points 19 in the second period. Michael Holton had a season High 22 Points. Hawks 130, clippers 101 los Angeles Dominique Wil Kins scored 29 Points and Glenn Rivers added 18 As Atlanta dealt the los an Geles clippers their 15th straight defeat. The clippers who have never beaten the Hawks since moving to los Angeles in 1984 and have dropped nine in a Row to them were paced by Ken Norman s 22 Points and Rookie Gary Grant s 20. Los Angeles which went 0-14 in Jan uary is now four losses shy of Matching the franchise record of 19, set in 1981-82 by the then san Diego clippers. The clippers tied the game for the last time at 60-All on Grant s 18-footer with 10 41 left in the third Quarter. The Hawks paced by Reggie Theus and Rivers then outscored los Angeles 22-8 Over the next five minutes to forge ahead 82-68. The clippers got As close As 95-82 on Norman s free throws with 11 44 to play before backup Center Greg Kite mixed it up with Atlanta Forward Cliff Levingston near the clippers Basket. Kite received a second technical and an automatic ejection moments later and the Hawks then went on a 19-5 tear As Theus scored seven of his 17 Points to help Atlanta build a 114-87 Cushion with6 45 left. Trailing by 12 Points Midway through the second Quarter los Angeles Cut the deficit to 58-56 by halftime As Grant led a 19-9 run with 12 Points in the final 5vi minutes of the period. Moments after a slam Dunk by Benoit Benjamin with 25 seconds left Grant stripped Wilkins of the Ball and converted a return pass from teammate Tom Garrick into an easy Layin with one Sec Ond on the clock before halftime. The clippers losers in 26 of their last Miami heat s Billy Thompson dunks Over warriors Rod Higgins foreground. 30 games took a seven Point advantage Midway through the first Quarter before Center Moses Malone and Reserve guard John Battle led an 11-0 run with four Points each to help put Atlanta ahead to stay. Warriors 105, heat 98 Miami Mitch Richmond scored 26 Points As Golden state held of Miami. The expansion heat reached the half Way Point of the season at 4-37. The Aba s worst season record Ever is 9-72 by Philadelphia in 1972-73. Miami trailing 62-45 Early in the third Quarter closed to 94-92 with 6 32 left in the game. But Golden state s Chris Mullin got two baskets and Winston Garland also scored for an eight Point Lead and the heat never go within four. Mullin scored 24 Points and Garland added 22 Points. Billy Thompson scored 30 Points for Miami and Grant Long had 24. Long scored 13 in the third Quarter leading the heat s comeback. Baseball rangers Roll Post islanders 7-3 from Page 21 Houston player in arbitration. His Case is to be heard Friday in los Angeles. Davis who earned $340,000 last year is asking for $1.085 million while the astros Are offering $875,000. Presley had his poorest season of his major league career in 1988, batting .230 with 14 homers and 62 Bis. He hit .247 in 1987 with 24 homers and 88 Bis. Valle eligible for arbitration for the first time hit .231 last season with 10 homers and 50 Bis. Skinner batted .227 last season with four homers and 23 Bis in 251 at bats. Nieves had Arm troubles last season went on the disabled list and then to the minor leagues. He was 7-5 with the Brewers with a 4.08 Era in 15 starts and 10 Relief appearances. By the associated press new York Carey Wilson James Patrick and Brian Leetch each scored two goals and Tomas Sandstrom had four assists monday night leading the new York rangers to a 7-3 Victory Over the new York islanders. Wilson scored twice in the first period his second goal breaking a 2-2 tie with 11 seconds remaining. Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur playing in his 1,000th career game set up Leetch s first goal a 40-foot slap shot that made it 4-2 at 8 38 of the second period. Lafleur making a comeback after a four year retirement became the 66th player in nil history to play 1,000 games. The islanders Cut the deficit to 4-3 at 11 34 when Mikko Makela scored on a breakaway but the rangers broke the game open on third period goals by Leetch Pat Rick and Kelly Kisio. Brent Sutler and Pat nil Roundup Rick Flatley also scored for the islanders. The All time regular season series be tween the two teams is tied 50-50-7. In other nil games monday Nordques 4, red wings 3 Detroit lira Jarvi and Walt Poddubny scored 1 34 apart Midway through the second period to trigger a four goal out burst that gave Quebec a 4-1 Lead the red wings led 1-0 on Gerard Gal Lant s first period Power play goal but the Nordques beat goalie Glen Hanlon on four of their last seven shots in the second period. Blackhawk 7, Maple Leafs 1 Chicago Steve Conroyd scored his first goal in a Chicago uniform As the Blackhawk broke a last place tie with to Ronto in the Norris division. Seven different players scored for Chi Cago with Duane Sutter and Bob Bassen each getting three Points As the Black Hawks beat Toronto for the first time in five games this season and moved two Points ahead of the Maple Leafs. Recently acquired goaltender Alain Chevrier had to make Only 15 stops As Chicago extended Toronto s wingless Streak to 0-4-2. Capitals 4, North stars 4 Bloomington Minn. Dino Cic Carelli scored his second goal of the game with 1 03 left As Minnesota rallied from a3-0 deficit. The North stars had just pulled goalie Kari Takko to get an extra attacker on the ice when Ciccarelli tipped in Bob Rouse slap shot. Minnesota tied it 3-3 with 5 07 remain ing on Brian Maclellan s goal. Dale Hunter scored his second goal of the game 38 seconds later to put the capitals ahead again