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Rising Suns pay a visit to New Jersey

Feb 28, 2011 - 3:58 PM (Sports Network) - Things are starting to heat up for Alvin Gentry and the surging Phoenix Suns, whose recent case of dramatics has the team feeling confident in its quest for a postseason spot. The Suns look to carry their momentum into tonight's showdown against the New Jersey Nets at the Rock.

On a night in which the stars of cinema aligned for the annual Academy Awards, Suns power forward Channing Frye created his own Hollywood ending Sunday afternoon with a game-winning jumper in overtime for a 110-108 victory at Indiana. Frye buried a 23-foot basket to beat the buzzer and keep Phoenix unbeaten since the All-Star break (3-0).

"It's a good win for us. That team is playing really, really well," Gentry said about the Pacers, who stormed back from being down by as many as 15.

Gentry's club has won 15 of the past 21 games, including the first two installments on a season-long six-game road trip that will span 6,589 miles and include stops in Boston, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City. Grant Hill shared some of the spotlight with a season-best 34 points -- the most in six years -- and tied the game late in regulation with a three-pointer. Marcin Gortat had 17 points and a team-high 11 rebounds off the bench, and has an NBA-high 11 double-doubles as a reserve.

Jared Dudley added 15 points and Steve Nash finished with 10 points and a game-best 13 assists. Nash leads all NBA guards with 34 double-doubles this season and is tops in the league with 38 double-digit assist efforts. The Suns, who are 13-14 as the visitor, sit a game off the eighth and final postseason spot in the West and are a season-high three games over the .500 mark at 30-27. They have won four in a row away from the desert.

New Jersey is probably glad to be back in the Garden State after losing all three tests on a recent road trip through Boston, San Antonio and Houston. It has dropped five in a row overall and suffered a 123-108 blowout loss to the Rockets on Saturday, as Deron Williams posted 15 points and a season-high 17 assists in his second game with New Jersey.

Brook Lopez led the Nets with 21 points, while Ben Uzoh added a season-high 18 points in a reserve role for New Jersey, which shot 40.2 percent for the game and trailed by as many as 22 points.

"Our defense has taken a significant step backwards," Nets coach Avery Johnson said. "We have to get on the same page as a team. We don't have chemistry as our guys haven't played together."

The Nets have lost nine in a row to Houston, and will try to work on their 13-15 record as the host tonight. In other team news, Lopez is the fourth highest scoring center in the NBA with 19.3 ppg, while Williams will make his Prudential Center debut and is the only player this season averaging 20-plus points and nine or more assists.

On the injury front for New Jersey, Williams is probable with a balky right wrist and Jordan Farmar (ankle) is doubtful after suffering the injury against the Rockets. Anthony Morrow (knee) and Quinton Ross (back) are both questionable for Monday's game with Phoenix.

The Suns defeated New Jersey, 118-109, in overtime on Jan. 12 at US Airways Center and have won three straight and 14 of the previous 18 meetings between the teams. Phoenix is unbeaten in four straight contests at the Nets.

Nash and Williams have squared off 18 times in their careers, with Williams averaging 17.7 points and 9.1 assists. Nash has posted 15.9 points and 11.3 assists in that period. Also, the Lopez brothers, Robin and Brook, will meet for the fifth time in their young careers.