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Harris scorches Suns as Nets wrap up impressive trip

Dec 1, 2008 - 5:48 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Devin Harris scored 47 points and the New Jersey Nets wrapped up a successful road trip with a 117-109 victory Sunday over the Phoenix Suns.

Harris was 14-of-25 from the field and 17-of-17 from the free-throw line. He added seven rebounds and eight assists to lead the Nets to their first win in Phoenix since March 13, 1993. New Jersey went 3-1 on its four-game road trip, including a win at Utah on Saturday.

"Fourteen year! 14 years! That's it this conversation is over. We haven't won here in 14 years," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "That game could have gone south a bunch of different times. We give up a 35 -point first quarter. We finally make a run and the way they ended up the second quarter. Our guys showed great guts and you can't say enough about Devin."

The Suns started hot, scoring a season-high 35 points in the first quarter to take an 11-point lead. However, they went cold down the stretch, especially after Amare Stoudemire was ejected after picking up his second technical foul with 3:24 to play.

"I thought we played three pretty good quarters and then the fourth quarter really did us in," Phoenix coach Terry Porter said. "Turning it over, Amare getting kicked out kind of hurt us a little bit momentum wise. That fourth quarter really did us in, gave those guys 43 points, turned the ball over, allowed those guys to get some easy baskets off of our turnovers, and we got non-aggressive."

Phoenix led, 100-98, when Stoudemire was ejected. But New Jersey went on a 12-2 run to take control of the game.

"It hurt - I think it changed the rhythm of the game. Amare was playing well and I think it hurt," Phoenix guard Steve Nash said.

Stoudemire did not agree with his being tossed from the game.

"The rule states that I'm allowed to react so long as I don't continue the verbal towards the official," he said. "It was a simple reaction and I got ejected for something like that. I've seen players do a lot worse and not even get a technical foul.

"It's tough to deal with, especially with a loss like this, but we have practice tomorrow and we'll figure it out. I have seen a lot of other guys do a lot more and say more and not get a technical."

The Suns had Steve Nash back after he missed Friday's game against Miami with a thigh contusion and he led the Suns with 26 points and nine assists. Stoudemire had 25 points and 11 rebounds before being ejected and Matt Barnes had 18 points.

Harris had 21 of his career-high total in the fourth quarter and became the second player in two games to score more than 40 points against the Suns, joining Dwyane Wade who had 43 on Friday.

"Last night was a good win for us and tonight we kept it going," Harris said. "We took the first punch that they came out with. It was not our best quarter defensively that first quarter but we fought back and were able to fight them off.

"In the fourth quarter we found energy. I thought Lawrence did a great job of rotating guys and keeping guys fresh. He took Vince out at the stat of the fourth quarter and that gave me a chance to go a bit then he gave good blow in the middle of the fourth so I could finish the game fresh."

Vince Carter scored 28 points, Yi Jianlian added 14 and Brook Lopez 12 for New Jersey, which scored 33 points off of 22 Phoenix turnovers.