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Nash leads balanced attack as Suns rout Heat

Jan 6, 2007 - 7:14 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Steve Nash did not have any pity for the undermanned Miami Heat.

Nash scored 22 points to lead six players in double figures as the Phoenix Suns coasted to a 108-80 victory over the Heat, who dropped their fifth consecutive game.

Amare Stoudemire had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Leandro Barbosa scored 18 for the Suns, who won their fifth straight contest overall.

"It was one of those nights we moved the ball around, got the shot we wanted and hit some threes," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said.

Miami was without two-time All-Star Dwyane Wade (wrist), superstar center Shaquille O'Neal (knee) and coach Pat Riley (knee surgery). The Heat fell to 0-6 without Wade and O'Neal.

"(Phoenix) is hard for anybody to beat when you're at full strength," Miami interim coach Ron Rothstein said. "This is a (heck) of a team, so yeah, it's a difficult task (being undermanned)."

In the third quarter, Nash and Barbosa combined to scored 10 straight points for Phoenix, which opened a 76-57 advantage with 5:50 left.

Suns guard Raja Bell serving his one-game suspension for kicking Toronto rookie Andrea Bargnani in Wednesday's win.

"He is a big part of our team and someone has to step in," Nash said. "We have guys who are capable."

With a five-point lead after one quarter, Phoenix took control for good as Barbosa netted eight points in a row during a 10-3 run for a 39-27 lead.

This was Phoenix's fourth game in six nights, highlighted with a three-game East Coast swing.

"Coming off a road trip that first game is always tough and they tried to slow it down on us but we were able to hang in there," Stoudemire said. "We tried to maintain our style of play even though they slowed it down."

Alonzo Mourning scored 15 points and Gary Payton and Jason Williams each added 14 for the Heat, who shot 43 percent (29-of-66) from the field and committed 19 turnovers.

Despite passing Rony Seikaly on the franchise all-time rebounding list with 4,545, Mourning was more concerned about losing the game.

"I'm sorry, excuse my language, I really don't give a damn about that right now," Mourning said . "I mean, we're (freaking) losing right now, we're getting our (behind) kicked and that's not a concerned of mine, it's really not."