PHOENIX - Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire scored 23 points apiece and the
Phoenix Suns easily overcame the absence of Shawn Marion to beat the Indiana
Pacers for the second time in four days, 115-90 on Friday night.
Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire holds his arms out
while questioning a foul call against him while playing the Indiana Pacers
in the third quarter of a basketball game Friday, March 2, 2007, in
Phoenix. [AP]
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Stoudemire, who also had 10
rebounds, was 11-for-13 at the foul line. Nash made eight of 10 shots, including
2-for-3 from 3-point range. Raja Bell added 17 points. Leandro Barbosa had 14
points and 10 assists.
Seven Suns scored in double figures.
Eric Piatkowski, who had played only 7 minutes all season for Phoenix, was on
the court for 22, scoring 11 points, including 3-of-8 on 3s. Pat Burke added 10
points for the Suns, all in the second half. Kurt Thomas had a season-high 15
rebounds.
Danny Granger scored 20 for the Pacers, who matched their longest losing
streak of the season at four games. All four have been by double digits, the
last two to Phoenix.
Jermaine O'Neal, hampered by foul trouble, scored 16, but only two in the
second half. Marquis Daniels also scored 16 for the Pacers, who shot 39 percent
from the field to the Suns' 53 percent.
Phoenix, playing without Marion for the second straight game because of a
bruised right hand, rebounded from its loss Wednesday night in Philadelphia to
sweep the season series from Indiana for the second year in a row. The Suns also
improved to 24-4 against Eastern Conference foes.
Marion was injured Tuesday night in the Suns' 103-92 victory at Indiana.
Phoenix had to rally from 18 down to win that one, but took control for good
this time with a 20-9 run to end the first half.
Stoudemire scored 17, Nash 14 and Bell 10 to help the Suns lead 62-49 at the
break. Stoudemire was 9-for-10 from the foul line, and Nash 6-for-8 from the
field in the first half.
O'Neal scored 14 before going to the bench with his third foul with 2:45 to
play in the half.
Indiana cut the lead to eight twice in the third quarter, the last at 78-70
on Daniels' 17-footer with 3:29 to play. The Suns, though, ended the quarter
with a 12-4 run. Burke scored seven in the spurt, including a 3-pointer. Barbosa
made a pair of slick passes for assists and made a 13-footer during the run.
The Suns, opening a five-game homestand, led by as many as 28 in the fourth
quarter.
Notes:@ The Suns' Boris Diaw missed his eighth game with
back spasms. ... O'Neal drew a technical foul with 6:09 to play in the first
half. Nash made the free throw, then added a 3-pointer on the change of
possession to put Phoenix up 46-40. ... It's the first time a team has won four
in a row in the Pacers-Suns series since 1976-77. ... Suns coach Mike D'Antoni
said Marion might play Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers.