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Richardson leads Suns over Clippers

Nov 27, 2010 - 6:44 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Jason Richardson had 29 points, including five three-pointers, to help Phoenix defeat the Los Angeles Clippers, 116-108, at US Airways Center.

Hakim Warrick came off the bench for a 25-point performance -- he hit 13-of-14 free throws -- as Phoenix won for the second time in six games. Channing Frye and Steve Nash both had 16 points in the win, while Nash also added 10 assists

Eric Gordon scored a game-high 32 points with six assists for the Clippers, who were coming off their first back-to-back victories of the season but have still dropped 10 of their last 12.

Blake Griffin had a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Ryan Gomes recorded 20 points in defeat.

Los Angeles made it a 10-point game, 106-96, with just under five minutes to play when Gomes hit a long jumper. The Clippers scored the next three points to cut it to a seven-point margin, but Nash hit a jumper and the Suns made their next four free throws to put the lead at 13.

Gordon scored six points during the final 1:44 in a comeback that wasn't meant to be as the Suns sealed the deal from the charity stripe.

"They were in a rhythm," Gordon said. "When we got back in the game, they pushed it back up to 18 and we just went right back at them. We played pretty good defense for a stretch and knocked down a lot of shots but we just have to be consistent defensively. We played hard and we brought the lead all the way back down but we just need to have a better first quarter. That's what really broke us down."

Phoenix scored 11 of the first 13 points of the game and rolled to a 31-10 lead with 3:43 left in the quarter. During the stretch, Richardson hit four three pointers -- he finished with 17 first quarter points -- as the Suns scored a season-high 42 points in the opening 12 minutes.

"Once again we got off to a great start," Phoenix head coach Alvin Gentry said. "We just have to find a way to maintain a little bit. We're not going to play at that level though, we're not going to end up with 168 points, but we have to play a little more consistently than what we are doing."

The Clippers made 13-of-21 shots during the second quarter to cut into the Suns lead at the half, 67-51. Griffin made a turn-around bank shot to make it a 15-point game with 1:19 left to play.

Los Angeles cut it to a four-point game while starting the second half on an 18-6 run. Gordon had 10 points during the comeback streak, including a long three-pointer with 8:13 left to play.

Phoenix, however, grew its lead back to 18 points after a Richardson trey. with 46.7 seconds left in the quarter. Phoenix then headed into the final quarter with a sizable 98-81 lead.

Game Notes

Phoenix has won 12 of the last 13 overall meetings, including nine straight in the series -- their longest active winning streak against Western Conference opponents...Phoenix's Robin Lopez did not suit up because of a sprained MCL and PCL...Suns scored a season-high 67 first-half points...Brian Cook had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.