Box Score

 

PHOENIX (106)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
Q Richardson        38   3-9   4-6   1-6   1   2   11
S Marion            38  8-20   2-2  2-15   1   3   19
A Stoudemire        35  5-12   3-5   3-9   1   4   13
J Johnson           39  9-17   5-6  5-11   2   3   23
S Nash              36 10-14   4-5   1-6  11   2   25
S Hunter            13   3-4   1-4   1-2   0   0    7
J Jackson           19   2-8   0-0   2-3   2   0    5
W Mccarty           10   1-2   0-0   0-3   1   2    3
L Barbosa           12   0-3   0-0   1-3   1   1    0
B Outlaw           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
J Voskuhl          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
P Shirley          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 41-89 19-28 16-58  20  17  106
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.461, FT-.679. 3-Point Goals:
5-18, .278 (Q Richardson 1-2, S Marion 1-7, J
Johnson 0-2, S Nash 1-1, J Jackson 1-3, W 
Mccarty 1-2, L Barbosa 0-1). Team Rebounds: 
9. Blocked Shots:5 (A Stoudemire 3, S Nash, S
Hunter). Turnovers:13 (A Stoudemire 4, S Nash
3, Q Richardson 2, J Johnson 2, J Jackson, S 
Marion). Steals: 3 (J Johnson 3).


DENVER (101)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
K Martin            36  9-22   3-6   1-9   1   4   21
C Anthony           24  2-10   5-8   3-4   2   0    9
F Elson             12   0-1   0-0   0-0   0   3    0
G Buckner           19   6-8   0-0   0-2   1   1   14
A Miller            33   3-9   2-2   1-6   7   3    8
B Russell           17   1-2   0-0   1-4   1   4    2
D Johnson           18   4-7   1-2   0-1   1   2   11
E Najera            22   1-5   0-0   2-8   1   2    2
E Boykins           31  6-19   7-8   1-2   9   2   20
W Person            28  5-10   0-0   0-5   2   1   14
M Camby            DNP  - STRAINED RIGHT HAMSTRING                       
M Pope             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 37-93 18-26  9-41  25  22  101
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.398, FT-.692. 3-Point Goals:
9-21, .429 (G Buckner 2-4, A Miller 0-1, D 
Johnson 2-5, E Boykins 1-3, W Person 4-8). 
Team Rebounds: 13. Blocked Shots:4 (B 
Russell, E Najera, D Johnson, K Martin). 
Turnovers:6 (A Miller 2, D Johnson 2, K 
Martin, C Anthony). Steals: 11 (K Martin 5, E
Boykins 3, A Miller 2, G Buckner).

--------------------------------------------
PHOENIX               27  26  29  24  -  106
DENVER                23  29  25  24  -  101
-------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Phoenix - 2 (W Mccarty, 8:33
2nd; Q Richardson, 5:47 4th). Denver - 1 
(Defensive Three, 6:37 2nd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 19,566. T: 2:09. 
Officials: Derek Collins, Dick Bavetta, Tony 
Brothers.

Extended Box

 

PHOENIX (106) AT DENVER (101)

PHOENIX

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
Q RICHARDSON      F    38    3-9      4-6      1   5   6    1   2   0   2   11
S MARION          F    38    8-20     2-2      2  13  15    1   3   0   1   19
A STOUDEMIRE      C    35    5-12     3-5      3   6   9    1   4   0   4   13
J JOHNSON         G    39    9-17     5-6      5   6  11    2   3   3   2   23
S NASH            G    36   10-14     4-5      1   5   6   11   2   0   3   25
S HUNTER               13    3-4      1-4      1   1   2    0   0   0   0    7
J JACKSON              19    2-8      0-0      2   1   3    2   0   0   1    5
W MCCARTY              10    1-2      0-0      0   3   3    1   2   0   0    3
L BARBOSA              12    0-3      0-0      1   2   3    1   1   0   0    0
B OUTLAW              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
J VOSKUHL             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
P SHIRLEY             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   41-89    19-28    16  42  58   20  17   3  13  106
                            (.461)  (.679)  TEAM REBS:  9 TOTAL TO: 13 (16 PTS)    

DENVER

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
K MARTIN          F    36    9-22     3-6      1   8   9    1   4   5   1   21
C ANTHONY         F    24    2-10     5-8      3   1   4    2   0   0   1    9
F ELSON           C    12    0-1      0-0      0   0   0    0   3   0   0    0
G BUCKNER         G    19    6-8      0-0      0   2   2    1   1   1   0   14
A MILLER          G    33    3-9      2-2      1   5   6    7   3   2   2    8
B RUSSELL              17    1-2      0-0      1   3   4    1   4   0   0    2
D JOHNSON              18    4-7      1-2      0   1   1    1   2   0   2   11
E NAJERA               22    1-5      0-0      2   6   8    1   2   0   0    2
E BOYKINS              31    6-19     7-8      1   1   2    9   2   3   0   20
W PERSON               28    5-10     0-0      0   5   5    2   1   0   0   14
M CAMBY               DNP  - STRAINED RIGHT HAMSTRING                                 
M POPE                DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   37-93    18-26     9  32  41   25  22  11   6  101
                            (.398)  (.692)  TEAM REBS: 13 TOTAL TO: 7 (8 PTS)      
  
   PHOENIX            27   26   29   24   -   106
   DENVER             23   29   25   24   -   101
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: PHOENIX - A STOUDEMIRE 3, S NASH, S HUNTER.  DENVER -
B RUSSELL, E NAJERA, D JOHNSON, K MARTIN.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: PHOENIX 5-18 (.278), Q RICHARDSON 1-2, S MARION 1-
7, J JOHNSON 0-2, S NASH 1-1, J JACKSON 1-3, W MCCARTY 1-2, L BARBOSA 0-
1. DENVER 9-21 (.429), G BUCKNER 2-4, A MILLER 0-1, D JOHNSON 2-5,
E BOYKINS 1-3, W PERSON 4-8.
TECHNICAL FOULS: PHOENIX - W MCCARTY, Q RICHARDSON. DENVER - DEFENSIVE
THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: DEREK COLLINS, DICK BAVETTA, TONY BROTHERS.
A - 19,566. T - 2:09.

Game Story

DENVER (Ticker) -- With Steve Nash running the show, it does 
not take long for the Phoenix Suns to recover.

Two days after suffering their worst loss of the season, the
Suns rode 25 points and 10 assists from Nash to a 106-101
victory over the Denver Nuggets, who had their eight-game
winning streak snapped.

On Friday, Phoenix blew a 14-point third-quarter lead in an
embarrassing 127-107 home loss to Houston.  Nash scored 10
points on 2-of-10 shooting in the loss but recovered to snap
Denver's longest winning streak since 1988.

"A win is a win is a win," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It
wasn't pretty, but it's always good to get a win on the road. In
the first half we didn't play well defensively.  We picked it
up in the second half and we got a win against a team that has
been playing good."

After Denver opened the fourth quarter on a 13-3 run to take a
90-85 lead, the NBA's leader in assists carried the scoring load
down the stretch.  Nash stopped the surge with a 3-pointer and
a layup to tie it midway through the period.

Earl Boykins buried a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 96-95 with
under three minutes left before Nash helped the Suns pull away.
He hit a jumper, a free throw and assisted on Quentin
Richardson's 3-pointer for a 102-97 lead with 70 seconds to go.

"I thought we did a really good job of being competitive
tonight," Nash said. "We're talented, we're super competitive
and we can dig games out like that."

"After we took the lead in the fourth, Phoenix showed their
toughness," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "They really did a
good job of coming back on us."

Andre Miller had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds,
but his 3-pointer missed badly, and Nash was fouled on the
rebound.  He made both free throws to seal it with six seconds
remaining.

Nash made 10-of-14 shots and handed out 11 assists, making him
one of three Suns with double-doubles.  Joe Johnson had 23
points and 11 rebounds and Shawn Marion, who missed Friday's
game with a bruised left knee, added 19 and 15.

"It shouldn't have been as close as it was," Marion said. "We
let them back in the game just like the other night.  It seems
like we have more initiative on the road than we do at home.  We
did hit some big shots when we needed them though."

In six games since returning from a hamstring injury, Nash has
five double-doubles, showing few effects of a three-game layoff.

"My hamstring felt better than it has in months," Nash said. "I
was a little tired at the end but my leg finally wasn't
bothering me.  It made it fun."

Kenyon Martin scored 21 points and Boykins added 20 for Denver,
which received little from leading scorer Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony was pulled midway through the third period after missing
four straight shots and did not return.  He finished 2-of-10
with nine points and saw his team go on a 17-10 burst without
him to close the quarter.

Despite rebounding in Anthony's absence, the Nuggets could not
make the stops they needed down the stretch.

"I think it's pretty obvious that it wasn't our greatest
defensive effort," said Karl, who fell to 15-5 since taking over
late in January. "The Suns are a different type of team to
play.  We did a lot of good stuff but I am just disappointed
that we didn't get the momentum going and sustain it."

Without center and leading rebounder Marcus Camby, who was out
with a strained right hamstring, Denver was outrebounded, 58-41,
and lost for the first time in eight home games under Karl.