Final
Suns continue homestand vs. Bucks
Feb 2, 2011 - 4:39 PM (Sports Network) - The Phoenix Suns will try to keep their new-found momentum going when they continue a five-game homestand tonight versus the Milwaukee Bucks from US Airways Center.Wednesday's bout between Phoenix and Milwaukee is the first of two meetings this season, as the Bucks will host the Suns on March 4 in Brew City. Both teams split a pair of matchups a season ago, with each team holding serve as the host, while Milwaukee ended a seven-game slide in the series with a 107-98 win on April 3.
Milwaukee, however, has lost 22 straight at Phoenix. The last time the Bucks won in Phoenix was on February 21, 1987, when Terry Cummings, Ricky Pierce and Jack Sikma ran the Milwaukee floor.
The Suns are coming off back-to-back wins over Boston and New Orleans, and improved to 2-1 on the residency with Sunday's 104-102 victory over the Hornets in the desert. Marcin Gortat scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Grant Hill finished with 16 points.
"It's a great win for us," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "Obviously I wish we could have closed the game out in the end, we played great but they made a couple of shots and we fouled them on a three point shot. That got the game close."
Steve Nash had 10 points and 15 assists and Vince Carter provided 12 points in a winning effort. Phoenix, 7-3 in its last 10 games overall, will also host Oklahoma City on the homestand and owns a 13-10 record in the Valley of the Sun this season.
Milwaukee got its three-game road trip off to a bad start with Monday's 105-98 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Blake Griffin recorded his 39th double- double of the season with 32 points and 11 rebounds to power the Clippers past the Bucks, who were led by Corey Maggette's 25 points.
Ersan Ilyasova had 15 points and Andrew Bogut compiled 14 and 11 boards in a losing cause. Brandon Jennings scored 12 points off the bench in his second game back since missing 19 games with a fractured foot.
"We had good rhythm in the third quarter. Then they started hitting seams and went on an 11-0 run. We lost our rhythm really bad," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said after having a three-game winning streak stopped.
The Bucks will visit Golden State on Thursday to close out the trek and are 8-17 outside the Bradley Center this season. Bogut (knee), forward Drew Gooden (foot) and guard John Salmons (hip) are all questionable for tonight. Salmons has missed eight games in a row and is posting 13.8 ppg this season -- good enough for second on the team behind Jennings' 17.1 points per contest.
- MILWAUKEE: 77
PHOENIX: 92
Final
Feb 2 11:16 PM - MILWAUKEE: 53
PHOENIX: 71
End of 3rd
Feb 2 10:49 PM - MILWAUKEE: 31
PHOENIX: 52
Halftime
Feb 2 10:04 PM - MILWAUKEE: 17
PHOENIX: 25
End of 1st
Feb 2 9:34 PM
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