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Nash, Suns cruise by Pacers

Mar 3, 2007 - 8:08 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns figured if they could beat the Indiana Pacers on the road earlier this week, why not come home and do the same thing.

Nash scored 23 points and fellow All-Star Amare Stoudemire also added 23 along with 10 rebounds as the Suns posted their fourth straight victory over the Pacers, 115-90.

Raja Bell had 17 points and supersub Leandro Barbosa added 14 and 10 assists for Phoenix, which has won six of its last seven here.

"The Suns play well in this building," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "I thought the key was they had some guys step up off the bench. It was a great effort on their part."

In addition to Barbosa, the Suns also received productive play from little-used reserves Eric Piatkowski and Pat Burke, who both had season-highs of 11 and 10 points, respectively.

"It was a good effort, especially the two guys who came off the bench," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They did a good job for us and that was probably the difference. Everybody just pitched in and did a good job."

Phoenix shot 53 percent (41-of-78) and led, 62-49, by halftime.

"We came out and played strong from the beginning," Stoudemire said. "That's one thing coach D'Antoni really stressed, to come out with a lot of energy."

Danny Granger scored 20 points and All-Star Jermaine O'Neal added 16 and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who shot just 39 percent (33-of-85) and tied a season high with its fourth straight loss.

"We started out well but I think we couldn't withstand it," Danny Granger said. "At the end they put on a barrage and they had us down 13 going into the half and we couldn't overcome that."