Clippers Are Burned by Phoenix Duo : Pro basketball: Majerle and Johnson each score 35 points to lead the Suns to a 114-99 victory.

Phoenix Sun forward Charles Barkley predicted before the season that the Suns, who led the NBA with 62 victories last season, would win 70 this season.

Barkley might have been exaggerating, but the defending Western Conference champions could post the NBA’s best record for the second consecutive season if they play the way they did against Tuesday night at the Sports Arena.

Guards Dan Majerle and Kevin Johnson scored 35 points each as the Suns defeated the Clippers, 114-99, before a crowd of 12,112.

Majerle, who scored 20 points in the second half, made a team-record eight of 12 three-point shots and 11 of 17 overall, including six of nine in the second half. He also had three steals, two assists and two rebounds.

“The three-pointer is a shot we look for all the time,” Majerle said. “We live and die by that shot. Anytime we’re on the floor, we look for it. We’ve got such great offensive rebounders that we feel confident shooting it.

“It’s not so much a matter of feeling in a zone to shoot it--that’s just the way we play. We’re always looking for the three.

“I had it going pretty good. But Kevin did a good job of penetrating and getting me the ball.”

Johnson, who sank all eight of his second-half shots, scored 18 points after intermission as the Suns won their second consecutive game. Johnson made 13 of 17 shots, including a three-pointer, and made all eight of his free throws. He also had seven assists and four rebounds.

“They were terrific,” Clipper Coach Bob Weiss said. “We just couldn’t contain them. When K.J. wasn’t shooting them, Majerle was. But we helped take ourselves out of it in the second half.”

Barkley, who averaged 32 points in the Suns’ first two games, missed nine of 11 shots and scored only 10 points. But he had 16 rebounds and seven assists.

Barkley, who has been bothered by a back injury this season, had to be helped off the court in the third quarter when he fell to the floor after blocking a shot by Clipper center Stanley Roberts.

But he returned after sitting out seven minutes and made a great defensive play in the fourth quarter to help stop a 10-2 Clipper run, blocking a layup by reserve guard Terry Dehere, a rookie who scored 14 points in 21 minutes.

“I didn’t struggle,” Barkley said. “They were just doubling me all night. Basically, they were making sure that I wasn’t going to beat them.”

Majerle and Johnson beat them.

Trailing by three points at halftime, the Suns made 11 of their first 12 shots in the second half and outscored the Clippers, 20-4, in a span of 4:51 to open a 17-point lead.

Johnson scored 16 points in the third quarter, making all seven of his shots, and Majerle added nine as the Suns outscored the Clippers, 38-21.

“Their guards came in here and played well,” said Clipper guard Ron Harper, who checked Majerle. “When a team shoots the ball that well, you’re going to lose.”

Trailing, 43-32, the Clippers outscored the Suns, 26-9, in the final 8:22 of the half to take a 57-54 halftime lead. Danny Manning scored 12 of his team-high 25 points in the second quarter.

Clipper Notes

Former USC guard Duane Cooper, cut by the Lakers last week, will sign a one-year $150,000 non-guaranteed contract with the Suns today. “It gives me new life and a new beginning,” Cooper said. “I just feel real fortunate to have a second life with a team of Phoenix’ caliber.” Cooper is expected to be the Suns’ No. 3 point guard behind Kevin Johnson and backup Frank Johnson. . . . Clipper forward Mark Aguirre, waived by the Detroit Pistons last month, said Thursday’s game against the Pistons at the Sports Arena doesn’t hold any special significance for him. “We’ve got to play them all the same way,” Aguirre said. “I think you’re cheating yourself if you don’t play them all the same way.” . . . Clipper guard Ron Harper was presented with a ball after registering his 1,000th career steal. Harper had both ankles tattooed Monday, the Batman symbol on his right and a shark on his left.