• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Nash, Suns outlast Nets in double-overtime thriller

Dec 8, 2006 - 3:58 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- While Jason Kidd joined one of the all-time greats, Steve Nash showed that he belongs in that company himself someday.

In an entertaining thriller, Nash had a career-high 42 points and 13 assists and Boris Diaw nailed the go-ahead jumper with 14 seconds remaining in the second overtime as the Phoenix Suns outlasted the New Jersey Nets, 161-157, for their eighth straight win.

Shawn Marion collected 33 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who shot 52 percent (61-of-117) from the field and 17-of-31 from the arc in the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season.

"I think we go home and just watch classic NBA, and it'll be on there already," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I'm speechless. It's just a great game. It's a heck of a lot better to win than to lose this one, with all the effort and energy you spent.

"After a game like that, even (the Nets) have to have a smile on their faces because both teams played so well."

Tying Wilt Chamberlain for third all-time with 78 career triple-doubles, Kidd collected 38 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists.

"It's a great honor to be mentioned with those guys," Kidd said. "Individually, it's great, but losing and winning comes before any individual stat."

However, Nash trumped him, shooting a remarkable 16-of-25 from the floor and 6-of-7 on 3-pointers in an offensive bonanza.

"(Nash) was just incredible. Those two point guards (Nash and Kidd) have a will, they wouldn't let their teams lose," D'Antoni said. "We had our chances to win, they had their chances to win, and we were able to get it done."

"It was a crazy game. They decided to run with us, obviously," Nash said. "They shot the ball extremely well."

Nash admitted that his competition with Kidd fueled his success.

"(Kidd's) one of the best competitors I've ever played against," Nash said. "He's one of the best point guards ever to play the game. It's great. It's a tough night at the office, but it's rewarding."

"I think we both were having a good time," Kidd said. "We were both out there competing. Neither one wants to lose and we just kept going at one another."

With the game tied, 157-157, with 34 seconds left in the second overtime, the 6-8 Diaw took advantage of a mismatch against the 6-4 Kidd, backing him into the paint and nailing a quick turnaround jumper to make it 159-157.

"I knew I had an advantage with the size and so I just took it inside, trying to be aggressive," Diaw said.

On the ensuing possession, Kidd dribbled the ball off his foot, leading to two free throws by Leandro Barbosa that sealed the win.

Kidd also had a chance to win the game at the end of the first overtime. The veteran rimmed out an 18-foot jumper as time expired, leaving the game tied, 143-143.

However, one of the game's most exciting sequences came at the end of regulation.

Leading, 131-128, with 5.3 seconds remaining, the Nets decided to foul Diaw to avoid a potential game-tying shot from the arc. Star swingman Vince Carter, who had 31 points and nine assists, fouled out on the play and Diaw nailed both free throws to make it 131-130.

"We win and lose together as a group," Carter said, referring to coach Lawrence Frank's decision to have him commit the foul. "I wanted to be out there because it was a close game."

After D'Antoni called a timeout with 4.8 seconds remaining, Diaw inbounded to Nash, who came off Kurt Thomas' screen and drained a fadeaway 3-pointer to tie the game, 133-133, with 2.1 seconds left. With no timeouts remaining, Kidd's desperation heave from halfcourt sailed wide, sending the game to the first overtime.

"Jason has got like 40 pounds on me and he was trying to hold me back, but Kurt set a great pick and I got an open shot," Nash said.

"I was trying to hold Nash up and he uses screens as well as Reggie Miller would," Kidd said. "I turned and I got picked, and he made the shot. He loves those types of situations."

It was a franchise record for points scored and allowed by the Nets, who shot a blistering 56 percent (60-of-107).

The 318 combined points tied the game between Denver and San Antonio on January 11, 1984 for fourth all-time. In that contest, the Nuggets posted a 163-155 victory.

The triple-overtime contest between Detroit (186) and Denver (184) on December 13, 1983, is the highest combined scoring game in NBA history.