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Diaw, Suns top Warriors for 13th straight win

Dec 16, 2006 - 7:15 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Boris Diaw returned to form as the Phoenix Suns continued to scorch.

Diaw notched his fifth career triple-double with 21 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and 10 assists as the Suns extended their winning streak to 13 games with a 105-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Amare Stoudemire had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Shawn Marion added 14 and 10 for the Suns, whose winning streak is their longest since a franchise-record 14-game run from December 1-30, 1992. Phoenix visits Sacramento on Saturday.

"I think it was more we don't want to lose regardless of the streak," Stoudemire said. "I think the streak is great but you don't want to lose and that is our main focus now, to win as many games as we can."

"We are trying to down play (the streak)," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It is nice and fun and we will bring it up and will be a little extra motivation (Saturday), but at the end of the year, they are not going to say, 'Oh man, you had that 13-game winning steak. If you don't win it, they are not going to say it either."

A integral part of Phoenix's run to the Western Conference finals last season, Diaw entered the contest averaging just 10.0 points and 5.6 rebounds. On Friday, however, he carved up Golden State's zone defense, shooting 8-of-14 from the floor and setting up teammates for easy baskets.

"The thing we need to do when they play a zone is make shots," Diaw said. "If we make threes we will be OK and people will be scared to zone us. We all have to do different things when they are in a zone. We have to move the ball well and when we make shots it is easier."

With the game tied, 90-90, with 6:51 left in the fourth quarter, the Suns used a 13-6 run, capped by Diaw's two free throws to make it 103-96 with 1:25 remaining.

"I had some lucky rebounds. Sometimes, the ball falls in your hands," Diaw said. "The assists, sometimes, our guys make shots. It is not all you. I just wanted to make the right play and help my teammates."

Monta Ellis scored 24 points and Baron Davis added 19 points and seven assists for the Warriors, who shot 40 percent (38-of-94) from the field.

"We showed some resilience. We fought and had plenty of opportunities to win that basketball game," Davis said. "We needed to get a couple of stops, a couple of better decisions down the stretch."

Golden State coach Don Nelson said the team's inconsistent play was its downfall.

"We were kind of lucky to stay in the game and it looked like it was going to be over early just like the last time we played on the road against a couple of good teams," Nelson said. "We were buried early, but we got back in it, and just kept trying to hustle. We had a shot at it but we just got cold at the wrong time."