NBA ROUNDUP : Suns Earn Last Laugh on Critics

There were those who thought it was a fluke when the Phoenix Suns improved by 27 games last season.

They nodded their heads knowingly when the Suns opened this season by winning only nine of their first 21.

But they aren’t nodding their heads now.

The Suns, beginning with the acquisition of former Laker Kurt Rambis shortly after Christmas, have become one of the best teams in the NBA.

The Suns took a 29-10 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday night at Phoenix and never let up. They romped to a 126-99 victory, their eighth in a row.

Tom Chambers led a balanced attack with 25 points and enabled Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons to even his 17-year NBA record at 678-678.

When the Suns, who finished only two games behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division last season, acquired Rambis, they were 11-12. Rambis gave the Suns the same hustle, rebounding and solid defense that he contributed to the Lakers for seven seasons. And with the return of guard Kevin Johnson from an injury, the Suns are solid.

The winning streak has improved the Suns’ record to 35-17. They trail the Lakers by five games, although they are a game better off than they were a year ago.

Only four teams have a better record than the Suns. Two of them, the Lakers and Portland, are in the Suns’ division.

The 76ers were playing their sixth road game in eight nights.

Atlanta 104, Houston 96--The Hawks, with all their problems at guard, have had no trouble finding a place for Kenny Smith.

Smith, recently acquired from Sacramento, made a key layup in the last minute at Atlanta to halt a Rocket rally and give the Hawks their second consecutive victory.

Although he was only five for 22 from the field, Akeem Olajuwon made a basket that pulled the Rockets to 100-94. But Smith drove to the basket with 37 seconds left to seal the victory. Washington 141, Orlando 124--Bernard King scored 14 of his 36 points in the first quarter at Landover, Md., to lead the Bullets.

A 16-1 run late in the first quarter gave the Bullets a 44-27 lead and by halftime, they led by 22 points. King played only 35 minutes.