Suns Do Their Part To Save Chicago -- Barkley Deserves Thanks For Host City's Quiet Night

CHICAGO - The blackboard in the visitors' locker room at Chicago Stadium bore this message to the Phoenix Suns before Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

"Save the city - Beat the Bulls."

The sincerity of the Suns' interest in preventing rioting in Chicago might be open to question, but they did what no police presence could - they took away the city's reason to celebrate.

Behind the determination of Charles Barkley and a toughened interior defense, the Suns upset the Bulls' championship plans with a 108-98 triumph. That sends the best-of-seven series back to Phoenix for Game 6 tomorrow.

"Chicago, you can take all that plywood off the windows," a jubilant Barkley said. "There won't be any riots tonight."

The Suns lost two at home but won two of three here, exactly the count if both teams had won their home games.

"Let's just pretend like everybody held serve and we're going back home," said Suns Coach Paul Westphal.

GRANT'S `WORST NIGHT'

Michael Jordan had advice for distraught teammate Horace Grant: "Keep your head high and come back and redeem yourself in Game 6."

Grant was in tears after the Chicago Bulls' loss last night before their home fans.

Jordan scored 41 points but Grant was limited to one point and only seven rebounds in Game 5 and center Bill Cartwright managed only two points and two rebounds.

"This was one of the worst nights of my life," said Grant, who had 17 points and 16 rebounds in Game 4. "I let my teammates down. It's a very disappointing loss, tough to swallow. They blocked me off the offensive boards."

Grant had only one offensive rebound and he didn't fare much better defensively as Charles Barkley scored 24 points, most against him, in the first three quarters.

"I was out of sync all night," Grant said. "You have to tip your hat to Phoenix, they played hard. Now we have to go there and get one."

Jordan felt for Grant.

"Horace Grant is probably feeling the worst of all of us," Jordan said. "But he shouldn't hang his head low. He should keep it high and come back strong in the next game."

A PROMISE JORDAN CAN'T KEEP

Phoenix's Kevin Johnson, who guarded Michael Jordan most of the time last night, declined to provide the Bulls with bulletin board material.

"I'm not saying anything about Michael Jordan that might get him upset as he comes to Phoenix. All I know is he said he wasn't coming back to Phoenix. If he doesn't come back to Phoenix, I think the series is over."

BARKLEY GETS YELLOW LIGHT

Suns guard Danny Ainge said he appreciates Coach Paul Westphal's confidence in allowing Ainge and Dan Majerle to shoot three-pointers whenever they see daylight.

"We've always got the green light," Ainge said.

"But with Barkley, it's a caution yellow."

TOO WARM FOR COMFORT

The reception Charles Barkley received in Chicago this week was almost too warm, according to his teammate and friend, Frank Johnson.

"I think he'd would love for them to be hostile to him," Johnson said. "But they've been really nice. Everywhere we'd go it's, `Oh Charles, we love you, we love you.' "

LINE TO THE DIVINE

Phoenix's Charles Barkley claims a line to the divine.

"I believe it's our destiny to win the world championship," said Barkley.

Compiled from Scripps Howard News Service, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Reuters and Associated Press.