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Frye scores 29 as Suns beat Pacers

Dec 4, 2010 - 6:05 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Channing Frye pumped in 29 points and Jason Richardson added 21 to pace Phoenix in a 105-97 win over the Indiana Pacers.

The duo combined for 31 points in the second half and finished the game 8-of-13 from three-point range. Steve Nash ended with 12 points and 11 assists for the Suns, who have won back-to-back contests for the first time since a three-game streak November 12-15.

"When we can space the floor and Channing shoots the ball like that, it brings the big guys out from the basket," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "Channing did a great job. He shot the ball well, and he did a good job defensively. When he plays like that it creates avenues of driving and spacing becomes much better."

Brandon Rush scored a season-best 21 for the Pacers, who lost in Phoenix for the 10th time in the last 12 occurrences. Indiana, coming off a 22-point defeat at Utah on Wednesday, ended its western swing 2-2.

Josh McRoberts had a season-high 16 points, but he had eight of Indiana's 25 turnovers. Those miscues by the Pacers led to 26 Phoenix points.

"We definitely shot ourselves in the foot with all the turnovers," Rush said. "We had 25 turnovers and we broke down at the end of the game and they made some key plays. They kind of went on a run, they started making threes. Channing started to catch fire and we still turned the ball over."

Danny Granger, who came into the game with a team-leading 22.2 points per contest, was held to eight on 2-for-13 from the field.

Mike Dunleavy, who scored 16 in defeat, hit a reverse layup to square the contest at 88 inside six minutes left, but Frye drilled a jumper on the next possession. With just over four minutes to go, Richardson drained a three- pointer for a 94-88 lead and Indiana never got within one possession the rest of the way.

The dagger came when Richardson rose up and canned another long-distance shot, this one just inside the three-point line with 50.6 seconds left, for a 101-94 difference.

McRoberts scored half of his points in the opening period to help the visitors to a 28-20 lead after 12 minutes. The Pacers shot 11-of-18 from the field in the opening quarter.

Dunleavy's three-pointer widened Indiana's lead to 49-37 inside four minutes left in the half, and the Pacers carried a 59-52 edge to the locker room.

Frye's three-ball tied the game at 74 with 1:20 left in the third, but Dunleavy capped the period by sinking two foul shots for a two-point lead for Indiana.

Game Notes

Frye and Richardson combined to shoot 18-of-27 from the field...The Suns snapped a four-game losing streak against the Eastern Conference. Before Friday, Phoenix's lone victory over an East foe this season came November 7 at Atlanta...Jared Dudley also scored 12 points for the Suns.