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Stoudemire, Suns blast Timberwolves

Jan 19, 2008 - 6:05 AM By Bob Huhn PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHOENIX (Ticker) - Amare Stoudemire collected 23 points and 11 rebounds and Steve Nash chipped in 17 and 12 assists as the Phoenix Suns rolled to a 115-95 victory over the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

Raja Bell scored 20 points, Leandro Barbosa added 19 and Shawn Marion scored 18 for the Suns, who shot a blistering 54 percent (44-of-81) en route to their fourth straight home win.

With only five wins on the season, Minnesota owns the worst record in the NBA, but one of those victories came against Phoenix on December 8.

"It wasn't so much the revenge-factor," Bell said. "It (stinks) that they beat us, but we wanted to come out and continue what we started (Thursday) in Los Angeles. We wanted to be up-tempo and get our swagger back offensively. It was more of that then worrying about what happened in Minnesota the last time."

In the second quarter, Nash and Marion ignited the offense with an impressive 16-2 run that was highlighted by back-to back 3-pointers to give Phoenix a 54-43 lead 3:08 remaining.

"I think we were trying to feel them out in the first and catch our rhythm," Marion said. "We got our rhythm on the defensive end and our offense started to take off and it just opened everything for us."

Phoenix held a commanding 63-49 advantage at intermission.

"I thought after the opening quarter we tightened up a bit defensively and moved the ball extremely well," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They haven't won a lot but they usually don't let it get away from them. I thought we did a good job, especially coming back back from L.A."

The Suns increased the offensive pressure after the break and turned the game into a laugher by pushing their lead to 91-72 heading into the final period.

"We tried to keep our intensity. We wanted to make sure we bring the pain," Stoudemire said. "We have to match the other guy's intensity and physicality. They came out and played hard, and we had to match that and kept it going."

Once again, Al Jefferson shined bright with 27 points and 14 boards for the Timberwolves, who have lost six straight games and 15 in a row away from the Target Center.

"It is pick your poison against them," Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said. "You want to keep Nash out of the paint, keep Stoudemire's layup to a minimum and see if they can make threes. That is what we did at our place and they missed shots, then."