Phoenix Suns Blog – Page 70 – NBA Blog

Mavs beat Suns 140-116 in crucial West matchup

The AP reports: Jason Kidd had 19 points, a season-high 20 assists and a major career milestone— all in just three quarters—sending Dallas to a 140-116 victory over Phoenix on Sunday, virtually assuring the Mavericks of grabbing no worse than the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Dallas owns a four-game lead with five games left. Because the Mavs won the season series, they hold the tiebreaker over the Suns, so Phoenix must finish 5-0 and Dallas 0-5 for the teams to trade places in the standings… The 81 points at halftime was easily the most of the season for the Mavericks, and it included a 24-3 burst after Phoenix got within 46-45… Dirk Nowitzki made 10 of 12 shots and scored 28 points for Dallas, marking his 20th straight game with at least 20 points. Howard had 24 points after missing the Memphis game with a flare-up of his pesky ankle problem. Having two days off before facing the Jazz should help him remain in the lineup. Jason Terry hit his first four 3-point tries and scored 18 points. Brandon Bass added 14 points and J.J. Barea had 12.

InsideHoops.com notes: The Mavs shot 60 percent for the game, as well as 60 percent (15-of-25) from three-point range, and nailed 23-of-25 free throws. Dallas dished 34 assists, the Suns 21.

Nash, Suns beat Kings 139-111, gain ground in West

The AP reports: The Suns moved within three games of the Mavericks for the final playoff spot in the West, with six to play, after their 139-111 rout of Sacramento on Friday night and Dallas’ 107-102 loss at Memphis… Steve Nash had 29 points and nine assists, then sat out the fourth quarter with the rest of the starters, resting up for Dallas, where a Phoenix victory could reduce the Mavericks’ lead to two with five games to play… Francisco Garcia scored a season-best 29 for the Kings, who beat Phoenix last Sunday in Sacramento. The Kings were without leading scorer Kevin Martin, who sat out with a sprained left ankle two nights after scoring a career-high 50 in Sacramento’s 143-141 loss to Golden State. Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes had career highs with 23 and 22 points, respectively. Jason Richardson scored 19 points for Phoenix.

Nash leads Suns past Rockets 114-109

The AP reports: A spirited victory over the Houston Rockets may be too little, too late for the Phoenix Suns. Steve Nash had 25 points and 17 assists—with just one turnover—and the Suns held on for a 114-109 victory on Wednesday night… Grant Hill had 23 points, Shaquille O’Neal 22 and Jason Richardson 18 as the Suns won their season-best sixth straight at home… Ron Artest scored 28 for the Rockets, who dropped to fourth in the crowded scramble for playoff positioning in the West, a game behind No. 2 Denver and a half-game behind San Antonio. Yao Ming, in a rugged matchup with O’Neal, had 20 points and 14 rebounds… Shane Battier added 18 points for Houston.

Shaq tells Robin Lopez to get tough

Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal gave teammate/backup Robin Lopez a severe talking to on Sunday. The Arizona Republic (Paul Coro) reports: “Put somebody on their (expletive) back,” Shaquille O’Neal said he told Robin Lopez. “Don’t let anybody oopsy-doopsy layup on you and be laughing at you. Have you ever seen me get dunked on? No, because I put (expletive) on their backs. Period. “If you’re going to be a big man, be a big man. Don’t be out there (expletive) around. Lay somebody on their (expletive) back. Period. Wilt (Chamberlain) told me that. Bill Russell told me that. Hakeem (Olajuwon) told me that. All the great big men told me that. . . . That’s what I’m trying to teach him, instead of just being out there like a loose tree blowing in the wind. Do something.”

Thompson has 21 points to lead Kings over Suns

The AP reports: Jason Thompson had 21 points and Spencer Hawes added a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Sacramento Kings in a 126-118 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Steve Nash scored 31 points for Phoenix which went 0-3 on it road trip and trails Dallas by four games for the eighth and final spot it the Western Conference playoff race. The Suns have eight games remaining, including four of their final six on the road. Andres Nocioni and Francisco Garcia each had 19 points for the Kings, who had lost seven of their eight previous games. Kevin Martin scored 17 and Beno Udrih added 16 points and seven assists. Shaquille O’Neal had 24 points and nine rebounds, Grant Hill 19 points, Jared Dudley had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Jason Richardson added 16 points for Phoenix.

Okur scores 26, Jazz rally past Suns in OT

The AP reports: Deron Williams scored seven of his 21 points in overtime, and the Utah Jazz rallied for a 104-99 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, blowing a 21-point, third-quarter lead before tying it with a frenzied comeback at the end of regulation. Williams also had 13 assists and scored Utah’s last four points during a 9-2 run to close the fourth quarter and force overtime with the game tied at 90. Williams only had one field goal in OT, but was 5-for-5 from the foul line and made all nine of his free throws for the night. Mehmet Okur finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Jazz, who won their 14th straight at home. Steve Nash scored 20 points and Grant Hill added 19 points for the Suns… Shaquille O’Neal finished with 16 points, going 4-for-5 from the foul line, and 10 rebounds, and Matt Barnes had 14 points and 10 boards for the Suns.

Aldridge leads Trail Blazers past Suns 129-109

The AP reports: LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 29 points and added 12 rebounds to help Portland snap the Phoenix Suns’ six-game winning streak with a 129-109 victory Thursday night. McMillan thinks that Aldridge, who is in his third season, is well on his way to consistent double-doubles. He leads the team with 18 this season. Portland led 100-79 after three quarters, following Rudy Fernandez’s jumper and buzzer-beating 3-pointer from 25 feet. The Suns sat their starters most of the rest of the way. Fernandez came off the bench to score 23 points. The rookie from Spain made a career-high five 3-pointers. Brandon Roy added 26 points and nine rebounds for the Blazers, who led by as many as 29 points.

NBA rule change on too many players on court

The NBA Board of Governors voted to approve a playing rules change in regards to “too many players on the court”, which will take effect beginning Friday, March 27.

Under the playing rules change, when a “too many players on the court” violation is called, a technical foul will be assessed against the offending team and the non-offending team will have the option of either accepting or nullifying the game action that occurred during the violation.

Option 1 — Accept Game Action

The non-offending team can opt to ACCEPT all play that occurred during the violation, including any points scored, with no adjustment of the game clock.

Option 2 — Nullify Game Action

The non-offending team can opt to NULLIFY all play that occurred during the violation, other than any acts of unsportsmanlike conduct or flagrant fouls or any points scored from free throws as a result of such actions.

Under this option, following the technical foul, the game clock would be reset to the time when the ball was put into play with too many players on the court and, depending on how the ball was originally put into play, play would resume in accordance with the following:

1) If the original play commenced with a throw-in, then the ball would be returned to the original throw-in spot and play commenced with a throw-in.

2) If the original play commenced with a missed free-throw attempt where the ball remained in play, then play would be commenced with a jump ball held at center court between any two players who were on the floor at the time play was suspended due to the violation.

3) If the original play commenced with a jump ball, then play would be commenced with a jump ball held at the original jump-ball spot between the same two players who participated in the original jump ball.

Suns win sixth in a row, beating Jazz

The AP reports: Grant Hill certainly isn’t done yet. The 36-year-old Hill, often written off because of a series of serious injuries over his 14-year NBA career, scored 26 points, including a tiebreaking jumper in the lane with 31.5 seconds remaining, to lift the Phoenix Suns to their season-high sixth straight victory, 118-114 over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night… Matt Barnes, with 18 points in the second half, and Jason Richardson each had 21 points for the Suns. Steve Nash scored 12 and had 14 assists, while Shaquille O’Neal had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Deron Williams led Utah with 25 points and 10 assists. Ronnie Brewer scored 17, Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver each added 15 points, and Carlos Boozer 14.

Hill, Richardson lead Suns over Nuggets 118-115

The AP reports: Grant Hill hit a 12-foot jumper in the lane to break a tie with 58.6 seconds remaining, then added a free throw with 6.2 seconds left to help Phoenix extend its season-high winning streak to five games in a 118-115 victory over Denver on Monday night. “That may have been the only jumper I hit,” said Hill, who had a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds, but also committed six turnovers… Carmelo Anthony, who led the Nuggets with 29 points, missed a 3-pointer from the left wing in the final second. Billups had 20 points… Shaquille O’Neal, who played only 24 minutes because of foul trouble, had six of his 19 points in the final 5:04, when he made four of five free throws. Kenyon Martin had 18 points and J.R. Smith 14 for Denver (45-26), who remained tied for the best start in franchise history.