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Suns battle Warriors in the desert

Feb 10, 2011 - 3:59 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of Pacific Division rivals collide tonight in the desert, where the Phoenix Suns will take on the Golden State Warriors at US Airways Center

The Suns have beaten the Warriors twice already this season -- both times in Oakland -- and are undefeated in the last four matchups in this series. They are 10-2 in the previous 12 meetings between the two rivals.

To make matters worse for Golden State, it has dropped 10 in a row and 12 of its last 13 trips to the Valley of the Sun.

Phoenix has won four of five games overall and is coming off Monday's 104-92 victory over the Warriors by the Bay. Channing Frye scored 19 points and Grant Hill added 18 for the Suns, who got 14 points and 15 assists from Steve Nash. Nash became the 11th player in NBA history to record 6,000 assists with a single team in the process. His 28 double-doubles leads all NBA guards.

"We kept separation for the longest time. At some stage they were going to make some shots," said Suns head coach Alvin Gentry.

Gentry's club has won six of the last eight at home and owns a 14-11 record as the host this season.

Golden State completed an eight-game homestand with Wednesday's 116-114 win versus the Denver Nuggets and went 4-4 on the residency.

Monta Ellis finished with 37 points and buried a big three-pointer down the stretch for the Warriors, who have won four of five games and halted a seven- game skid to the Nuggets. Dorell Wright got into the act with 23 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, while David Lee finished with 16 points, 12 boards and six assists.

"I thought we did what we could," Warriors head coach Keith Smart told NBA.com. "A couple games got away from us, but I think (closing with) four out of five (wins) won't be too bad."

Wright has scored 20 or more points in 11 of his last 22 games, while Lee has registered a double-double in eight of 12 contests. Ellis has netted 20-plus points in 40 of his 51 games in 2010-11.

The Warriors are just 6-17 away from Oakland this season.