Final
Nash helps Suns clinch playoff spot
Mar 31, 2010 - 3:57 AM By RICK GANO AP Sports WriterCHICAGO(AP) -- Steve Nash was at his darting best in the final two minutes, paving the way for the Phoenix Suns' eight straight victory on a night they clinched a playoff spot.
In a 111-105 victory over Chicago, Nash had the Bulls guessing: will he shoot, drive, dump it inside or kick it back out? And with Chicago's Kirk Hinrich sidelined in the second half with a sprained ankle, Nash had room to work.
In a frantic final stretch, Nash drove to the lane and turned around for a jumper. Seconds later, he maneuvered his way back to the basket and used his familiar scoop shot to score and start a three-point play.
He found Channing Frye for a clutch tiebreaking 3-pointer with 41.6 seconds left, passed to Grant Hill for a dunk and then hit two free throws to finish off his 22-point, 10-assist night.
All from a guy who had been nursing a sore back and the sniffles.
"If I'm honest, I was taking so many meds for my back and cold that I actually felt a little loopy for most of the game," Nash said. "It helped my back but I was a little dizzy out there. At the end of the game I just tried to hang in there. We had a chance to win and I was fortunate to make some plays when it counted."
Jason Richardson led the Suns with 27 points and Amare Stoudemire had 21 points - 13 in the first quarter - and 11 rebounds. The Suns are currently in fourth in the West.
"If you look at all the teams in the West, we've had a great run and we haven't moved anywhere basically," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said.
The 6-foot-11 Frye connected on three 3-pointers.
"We were able to space the floor and get some opportunities in the paint and make some plays," Nash said.
"We put him out there or a reason, to stretch the floor. They double-teamed me and collapsed on Amare on the pick and roll and he came up to the top wide open," Nash added. "That's a good shot for all of us."
Flip Murray and Derrick Rose, who kept Chicago close down the stretch with 10 points in the final period, had 23 points each. The Bulls are 1 1/2 games behind Toronto for the eighth playoff spot in East.
"They hit big shots and made big plays and there was nothing we could do about it," Rose said. "We're still trying to make a push for the playoffs."
After Hill's dunk 23.2 seconds remaining restored Phoenix's lead to three, Rose missed a long 3-pointer when he had to double clutch. Nash then sank a pair of free throws with 13 seconds to go.
"I felt like I should take it," Rose said. "I had to adjust. In the future when that play comes around again, I'll know what to do."
Stoudemire dunked on the break over James Johnson, was fouled and converted the three-point play to highlight a late 10-0 first-quarter run by the Suns that opened up a quick 12-point lead.
The Suns' lead didn't last long as Jannero Pargo hit a pair of 3-pointers and Murray another in a 13-2 Chicago run that tied the game early in the second.
Notes: The Suns' last eight-game winning streak came from Nov. 9-23, 2007. ... Hinrich sprained his left ankle in the second quarter. He tested it during warmups for the second half and then did not return ... Joakim Noah was assessed a technical foul after the first half. He said he was asking officials at midcourt why teammate Chris Richard had been called for a flagrant foul late in the half. ... Entering the game, Stoudemire had averaged 27.6 points in the 20 games since the All-Star break. ... Murray brought the crowd to its feet by swishing a midcourt hook shot at the end of the third quarter, but the shot came after the horn. The call was upheld by video review. ... The Suns are 17-4 since the All-Star break.
- NBA
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
PHOENIX 36 21 24 30 111
CHICAGO 25 35 24 21 105 FINAL
HIGH SCORERS: PHO - JASON RICHARDSON 27, STEVE NASH 22,
AMAR'E STOUDEMIRE 21
CHI - FLIP MURRAY 23, DERRICK ROSE 23,
TAJ GIBSON 14
Mar 30 10:37 PM - NBA
PHOENIX 81
CHICAGO 84 END, 3RD QTR
Mar 30 9:59 PM - NBA
PHOENIX 57
CHICAGO 60 HALFTIME
Mar 30 9:13 PM - NBA
PHOENIX 36
CHICAGO 25 END, 1ST QTR
Mar 30 8:38 PM
Related News
- Should we be worried that people with the Phoenix Suns can “feel the frustration with Durant”? Dec 26
- Suns vs. Mavs Final Score: Phoenix continues to struggle, lose 128-114 to Dallas Dec 26
- Suns JAM Session Podcast: Suns (14-15) vs. Mavs Post Game Podcast Dec 26
- Open Thread: Mavericks vs. Suns Dec 25
- Game Preview: Struggling Suns face struggling Mavericks in Christmas Day showdown Dec 25
- Stephen’s Study: Scouting Udoka Azubuike’s minutes against the Sacramento Kings Dec 25
- The Beal gamble isn’t paying off Dec 24
- Suns Week 9 Stock Exchange: Udoka gives us hope while coaching and three-point shooting do not Dec 24
- Suns Injury Update: Bradley Beal wants to be ready to go for Christmas Dec 23
- Vogel: “I’m not doing a good enough job in making sure [Eric Gordon]’s involved in the offense” Dec 23
- The Phoenix Suns have gone ice-cold from beyond the arc at a time when they can’t afford to do so Dec 23
- Suns vs Kings Final Score: The Kings break the Suns, 120-105 Dec 23