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Barnes, Tucker lead Suns over Jazz

Oct 10, 2008 - 4:08 AM By Tony Pizza PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- Matt Barnes and Alando Tucker scored 21 points apiece as the Phoenix Suns did what few teams could a year ago - beat the Utah Jazz on their home floor - in a 96-89 victory on Thursday night.

Barnes spent two years with Golden State before signing a one-year contract with the Suns in July. He made another statement toward securing a possible starting role with the Suns, who are under a new head coach in Terry Porter.

Barnes pulled down 13 rebounds and handed out three assists against the Jazz to add to his 12-point, five-rebound, five-assist performance in Tuesday's preseason opener.

Tucker - who played sparingly during his rookie campaign - was 6-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and pulled down six boards.

Phoenix rebounded from Wednesday's 100-96 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks and improved to 1-1 this preseason. Utah, which lost a league-low four home games all of last season, shot just 42.5 percent (31-of-73) from the floor and had only one player, Kyle Korver, score in double digits with 16.

The Jazz rarely played their starting lineup together, leaving time for Korver and Paul Millsap, who had seven points and 11 rebounds.

Utah's Carlos Boozer and Matt Harpring sat out for the second straight game. Boozer is nursing a strained left hamstring and Harpring is recovering from a right ankle injury. Rookie center Kosta Koufos, the team's first-round pick in June, sat out after leaving Tuesday's 99-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers early with a strained left hamstring.

Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire was the only Sun not to suit up. He is recovering from a torn iris in his right eye.