The AP reports: Mike D’Antoni got a warm welcome in his return to Phoenix, but frigid long-range shooting doomed his New York Knicks in a 111-103 loss to the Suns on Monday night. Steve Nash, whose career flourished in D’Antoni’s four seasons as Phoenix coach, scored 21 points, including a game-clinching 3-pointer with 28 seconds to play. D’Antoni’s run-and-shoot squad was just 5-of-37 on 3-pointers. The Knicks tied their franchise record for 3-pointers attempted, set earlier this season against Cleveland. Shaquille O’Neal had 23 points, making 11 of 18 free throws, and 12 rebounds. Amare Stoudemire added 21 points and 14 boards for the Suns, who topped 110 points for the fourth game in a row. Nate Robinson scored 27, 17 after halftime, in his second game back from a groin injury for New York. Al Harrington added 24… The Knicks were 2-for-19 on 3s in the first half.
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Dec 12: Suns 113, Magic 112
The AP reports: Grant Hill had two thoughts as he ran the baseline in the closing seconds: Would he receive the pass, and should he dunk the ball? Hill settled for a reverse layup with 2.7 seconds left to lift the Phoenix Suns to a 113-112 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night… Jason Richardson scored 21 points in his Phoenix debut, Stoudemire also scored 21 and Steve had 21 points and 10 assists for the Suns, who have won six in a row against Orlando… Dwight Howard scored 19 points in 22 minutes for Orlando before leaving with 8:36 left in the third quarter because of a sore left knee.
Dec 11: Lakers 115, Suns 110
The AP reports: Pau Gasol scored 28 points, Bryant had seven of his 18 in the last 6 1/2 minutes, and the Western Conference-leading Lakers struggled to a 115-110 victory Wednesday night. Andrew Bynum added 17 points and 11 rebounds, Sasha Vujacic scored a season-high 15 points and Derek Fisher had 13 for the Lakers (18-3), who were coming off a lethargic 113-101 loss at Sacramento on Tuesday night and didn’t clinch this victory until the final minute. The Suns (13-10) played without Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and rookie Sean Singletary, traded to Charlotte earlier Wednesday for Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley and a 2010 second-round pick. Phoenix also was without former Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal, whose 92-year-old great-grandmother died this week… Matt Barnes had season-high totals of 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead Phoenix. Grant Hill scored 23 points, Amare Stoudemire had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Leandro Barbosa added 18 points for the Suns. Steve Nash shot 2-of-12 and was held to seven points and nine assists.
Suns trade for Jason Richardson
Uptrade: Trade is now official. Click here.
The Arizona Republic (Paul Coro) reports: The Suns acquired dynamic shooting guard Jason Richardson today in a trade with the Charlotte Bobcats that will also bring second-year forward Jared Dudley and a 2010 second-round draft choice to the Suns in exchange for shooting guard Raja Bell, forward Boris Diaw and rookie point guard Sean Singletary. The deal, pending players passing physicals, brings a new dimension to the Suns’ shooting guard position with Richardson, who can hit 3-pointers and be an athletic fit into an uptempo system like he starred in during five seasons with Golden State… Richardson makes $12,222,222 this season, $13,333,333 next season and $14,444,444 in 2010-11. Diaw was under contract for $9 million per season through 2011-12. Bell is making $5 million this season and gets $5.25 million next season in his contract’s final year.
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Dec 9: Suns 125, Bucks 110
The AP reports: This is how the Phoenix Suns’ offense was supposed to flow with Shaquille O’Neal. The Suns would run when they could—and when they couldn’t, they’d settle into a halfcourt offense and feed Shaq in the post. It went from a work in progress to near perfection as O’Neal scored a season-high 35 points and the Suns beat Milwaukee 125-110 on Tuesday night, extending their domination of the Bucks in Arizona… O’Neal hit 14 of 19 shots from the floor and 7-of-12 from the line, and he added eight rebounds… Amare Stoudemire added 22 points and Steve Nash had 19 points and 10 assists on a night the Suns resembled the free-flowing team shaped by D’Antoni. Phoenix scored a season-high 36 points in the first quarter, then topped that with 38 in the second… Charlie Villanueva scored 24 points, Michael Redd had 23 and Richard Jefferson added 22 for Milwaukee, which has lost six of its last eight games.
Amare Stoudemire has a 32-inch waistline
The Arizona Republic (Paul Coro) reports: Some argue that Amare Stoudemire, who has a 32-inch waistline, can’t get as solid of a base as the NBA’s top rebounders. Porter said Stoudemire’s build reminds him of his former San Antonio teammate, David Robinson, who weighed the same as Stoudemire but is 7-1. “You really have to be down and engaged in those situations to maintain your balance,” Porter said. “He’s got to be low and have a thrust.” Stoudemire prefers to maintain broad shoulders and a narrow waist. “I don’t want to be big and bulky,” he said. “My advantage is quickness when it comes to rebounding. A lot of guys I cover are a lot bigger in the post. I can’t push them off the post, so my best thing to do is use my quick feet to get around them or don’t let them get the ball. Quickness helps on offense. Guys can’t guard me.”
Suns improving
The East Valley Tribune (Jerry Brown) reports: In the last two games, Steve Nash has gone back to holding the ball longer, breaking down the defense and finding more space to operate. The Suns had more fast-break points (18) than turnovers (17), put up 21 3-pointers and went to the line 40 times as Amaré Stoudemire (22 points, 20 rebounds) and O’Neal (15 points, 10 rebounds) each had a double-double and the team collected a season-high 54 rebounds vs. the Jazz. “Our flow and rhythm is improving and there are some positive signs offensively,” Nash said. “I think we’ve gotten to a better place spacing and tempo-wise, where I can penetrate, be a nuisance, get in the paint and make plays. “Those are obviously strengths of mine, so the more I get to do that the better I’m going to feel, and I think it’s better for the team.”
Dec 4: Mavs 112, Suns 97
The AP reports: Maybe it was facing buddy Steve Nash. Maybe it was having two point guards in the starting lineup. Maybe it was the way Phoenix kept switching defenders against him without ever finding a stopper. Something put Dirk Nowitzki into quite the scoring mood. Nowitzki scored 37 points in three quarters and wound up tying his season high of 39, and the Dallas Mavericks continued their recent surge with perhaps their best performance of the season in a 112-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night… “We haven’t found a rhythm or a good balance yet,” said Nash, who had 20 points and 10 assists without playing the fourth quarter… Amare Stoudemire led Phoenix with 28 points but got his fifth foul late in the third quarter and wasn’t a factor after that… Barea, who earned the start by hitting the winning shot in the final minute of the previous game, finished with a season-best 18 points. Terry scored 19, continuing his strong play off the bench to make up for the scoring punch lost by Josh Howard being out with an ankle injury. Dallas is 6-1 in the seven straight games he’s missed.
Dec 3: Hornets 104, Suns 91
The AP reports: Peja Stojakovic finished with 24 points, his sharp shooting opening the floor for the rest of his teammates, who took full advantage. Chris Paul also scored 24 points to go with 15 assists for his 13th double-double of the young season. David West added 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Tyson Chandler narrowly missed a double-double of his own with 14 points and nine rebounds… Amare Stoudemire led Phoenix with 26 points, while Leandro Barbosa added 19 and Grant Hill 17. However, the Suns were unable to keep pace with guard Steve Nash sidelined because of an illness. Shaquille O’Neal also sat out for Phoenix, hoping to be fresh when the Suns play Thursday night at Dallas.
Suns notes
Matt Barnes is averaging 12.0 points, nearly double what he averaged last season with Golden State, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 29.3 minutes on the season.
Shaquille O’Neal has the second-highest field goal percentage (.599) in the NBA this season. Shaq is averaging 14.9 points and 8.5 rebounds in 27.5 minutes. He needs one block to pass Tree Rollins for 7th place on the NBA’s all-time blocks list.
Raja Bell is shooting a team-best .481 (37-77) from behind the arc (12th). Against New Jersey on Sunday, he scored 13 points (5-8 FG, 3-4 3FG) and had four rebounds.
Amare Stoudemire is averaging a team-high 21.7 points (12th in NBA), 8.0 rebounds (28th) and 1.3 blocks (40th). On Nov. 30 against New Jersey, he tallied 25 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.
Steve Nash led the Suns in scoring for the second time over the past four games with 25 points and nine assists against New Jersey. Nash is shooting .512 (33rd) from the field, .436 (33rd) from three-point range and .922 (8th) from the line on the season.
UPCOMING GAMES
The Suns head to New Orleans to face Chris Paul, David West and Tyson Chandler of the New Orleans Hornets at New Orleans Arena on Wednesday, December 3 for the first time since the Hornets took the Suns’ home opener on October 30, 108-95. Phoenix has lost five-straight to the Hornets following a stretch during which the Suns won 11-of-12 matchups. The Suns are 4-1 this season in the front end of a back-to-back set.
The Suns take on Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Thursday, December 4 for the first matchup between these two teams this season. The Suns have an advantage in the all-time series, 69-49. Phoenix has won five of the last nine games in the series and has split the last 14 meetings with Dallas.
Phoenix plays host to Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur of the Utah Jazz on Saturday, December 6. The Suns have a slight advantage in recent history, posting eight wins in the last 15 matchups. On March 7, 2008, Shaquille O’Neal became the 11th player in NBA history to reach 26,000 career points with a 20-point, seven rebound and two-block effort in the final meeting between the clubs last season.
The Milwaukee Bucks, featuring Richard Jefferson, Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut make their only visit of the season to the Valley on Tuesday, December 9. The Suns have won 31 of the last 35 meetings overall, including 20 consecutive wins at home to share the league’s longest-active home winning streak against a single opponent.
Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers host the Suns at STAPLES Center on Wednesday, December 10. These two teams have faced one another 206 times during the regular season, more than any other opponent in Phoenix history. On January 17, 2008, Steve Nash dished out a season-high 20 assists in a 106-98 win at STAPLES Center. Phoenix lost three of four contests last season, but the Suns have won 11 of the last 17 regular season matchups.
With five consecutive wins against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, the Suns look to continue their winning ways against the Magic on Friday, December 12 at US Airways Center. Phoenix has won 10 of the last 12 meetings, sweeping the season series the past two years. On November 10, 2007, Leandro Barbosa tallied a career-high 39 points in a 106-96 victory.