The AP reports: Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal will be playoff outsiders for the first time in a long time. Nash had 24 points and 13 assists, making six key free throws in the final 42 seconds, and Phoenix survived a late New Orleans rally to take a 105-100 victory on Wednesday night. But the victory wasn’t enough to keep Phoenix’s playoff hopes alive. The Suns were knocked out of the postseason for the first time since 2004, when Dallas beat Utah later Wednesday night… Chris Paul wound up with a game-high 29 points and 16 assists… David West had 28 points and 12 rebounds for New Orleans, which trailed by 14 early in the fourth quarter but got as close as 100-97 on Stojakovic’s 3-pointer with 26 seconds to go.
