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Suns-Raptors Preview

Nov 28, 2009 - 6:22 PM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Phoenix (13-3) at Toronto (7-10), 1:00 p.m. EDT

With Steve Nash leading the way, the Phoenix Suns have been very tough to slow down through the first month of the season.

The Toronto Raptors are quite familiar with just how hard it can be.

Nash looks to help the surging Suns win their 12th straight game over the sluggish Raptors on Sunday at Air Canada Centre.

Despite being 35 years old, Nash is excelling at running Phoenix's high-octane offense. The two-time MVP is averaging an NBA-high and career-best 11.8 assists, helping the Suns (13-3) jump out to the best record in the league.

Nash was hardly needed in Friday's 120-95 victory over Minnesota, finishing with nine points and 11 assists in 27 minutes in Phoenix's third straight win. The Suns' offense has been red-hot during the winning streak, averaging 121.0 points on 59.7 percent shooting while outscoring opponents by an average of 22.0.

"This year we have started with a singular vision," said Nash, shooting 69.6 percent from the field in the last three games. "Everyone enjoys each other and has a great time on and off the court together, and I think that allows us this year to have better depth."

The Raptors (7-10) already have gotten a taste of this season's Suns team.

Phoenix defeated Toronto 101-100 on Nov. 15 behind Amare Stoudemire's 30 points, but it was Nash's late heroics that won the game.

With the Suns trailing by two, Nash came through with a driving layup and was fouled, and the resulting free throw with 38.9 seconds left provided the final margin. He finished with 23 points and nine assists.

That victory marked Phoenix's 11th straight over the Raptors since a 101-94 loss Feb. 10, 2004, the final meeting before Nash re-signed with the Suns.

Nash, who sat out a 133-113 win over the Raptors on Feb. 27 with a sprained right ankle, is averaging 15.4 points and 12.9 assists in the 10 games against Toronto since the win streak began. He hasn't lost to the Raptors since Nov. 2, 2001, while playing for Dallas, a span of 15 games.

The Suns aren't the only team that has been giving Toronto fits lately.

After losing to Charlotte 116-81 on Wednesday, the most lopsided defeat in franchise history, the Raptors fell 116-103 to Boston on Friday.

Chris Bosh had 20 points and 13 rebounds for his 11th double-double in 12 games, but Toronto lost for the sixth time in its last eight.

"There's a lot of frustration in this locker room, and we have to say 'enough is enough,'" reserve Antoine Wright said. "If we continue to go forward like this, it's going to continue to happen to us. We can't blame the refs; we can't blame the game plan. It's about making hard cuts and getting the ball where it's supposed to be."

Defensive struggles have been a big reason for the team's recent woes.

Toronto allowed the Celtics to shoot 62.3 percent from the floor and is yielding an average of 112.0 points in its last eight games.

Fixing these defensive problems won't be easy against the high-powered Suns.

Phoenix is averaging a league-best 111.9 points and is the NBA's only team to hit triple digits in every game this season.