• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Nash, Suns easily handle Warriors

Feb 11, 2011 - 6:05 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Steve Nash scored 18 points with 11 assists and the Phoenix Suns used a huge run spanning the first and second half Thursday to capture an easy 112-88 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Channing Frye added 17 points and Jared Dudley scored 13 off the bench in a well-balanced effort for Phoenix, which has won five of its last six games, including back-to-back victories over the Warriors.

The Suns won their previous game in Golden State on Monday despite nearly blowing a 23-point lead in the second half.

The Warriors went on to beat Denver on Wednesday, wrapping up a 4-4 homestand that was their longest of the season.

But they fell again to the Suns despite five players scoring in double figures. Ekpe Udoh and Reggie Williams led the way with 16 points apiece off the bench and Stephen Curry scored 12.

The Suns (25-25) reached .500 for the first time since they were 13-13 on December 19.

They are 10-4 since January 12 -- tied with Chicago for the second-best record during that time, behind only the NBA-leading Spurs (12-2).

"We'd like to be at about .650 but we have a lot of work to do," said Suns head coach Alvin Gentry. "I thought we did a good job. We took care of business right from the start."

The 24-point margin of victory for Phoenix was its largest of the season, sparked by a hot-shooting first half highlighted by Nash's 14 points and eight assists.

The Suns led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter, carrying a 32-22 lead into the second. But they really turned it up before the end of the half.

Nash hit a jumper to start a 14-0 run to end the second quarter, which extended Phoenix's lead to 23 points at 65-42 heading into the locker room.

Golden State went scoreless for the final 3:33 of the first half and the first 3:22 of the second, allowing the Suns to complete an overall run of 20-0.

"We were a tired team on the floor and we didn't have what we needed," said Warriors head coach Keith Smart.

Vince Carter capped the burst with a bucket to make it 71-42. The Suns carried an 87-61 lead into the fourth quarter and went ahead by as many as 33 points when Zabian Dowdell's jumper made it 94-61.

Game Notes

Phoenix shot 52 percent for the game, while Golden State shot 40 percent...The Warriors have lost 11 straight in Phoenix...Robin Lopez scored 12 points for the Suns and Dowdell had 10...Davis Lee scored 11 points and Brandan Wright added 10 for Golden State.