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Nash, Suns aim for eighth win in nine games

Mar 9, 2007 - 4:52 PM New Orleans (28-33) at Phoenix (47-14) 9:00 pm EST

PHOENIX (Ticker) - The Phoenix Suns look for their eighth win in nine games Friday when they host the struggling New Orleans Hornets.

Three wins shy of reaching 50 on the season, the Suns own a commanding 14 1/2-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Pacific Division.

Leandro Barbosa scored a career-high 32 points and Steve Nash had 24 and 11 assists as Phoenix emerged with a 115-106 overtime triumph over lowly Charlotte on Wednesday.

The win also saw the return of Suns swingman Boris Diaw, who had missed 10 games due to back spasms. The 6-8 Frenchman went scoreless with five rebounds and three assists in 22 minutes.

With 14 technicals under his belt, Amare Stoudemire is just two shy of the league limit. If he reaches 16, the All-Star will be suspended for one game for every technical thereafter.

"We talked about (the technicals)," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I told him he couldn't do it anymore, and he goes out and gets two. You have to go out and talk to him about it, that's all we can do. Having 14 technicals is not the best thing in the world."

The Hornets enter in the midst of a three-game losing streak. They are coming off Tuesday's 106-91 setback against Denver. New Orleans is tied for ninth in the Western Conference, 1 1/2 games back of the Los Angeles Clippers for the final playoff spot.

"We've got to get back to the lab and study some game film and see what the problem is," said Hornets center Tyson Chandler, who has 13 consecutive double-doubles. "We've got to see where the break downs keep coming from."