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Nash, Suns host Rockets in the desert

Feb 9, 2012 - 3:51 PM (Sports Network) - Steve Nash celebrated his 38th birthday in style the last time out for the Phoenix Suns, who look to extend their season-high winning streak to four straight games this evening at home versus the Houston Rockets.

Nash posted a game-winning runner in the lane with five seconds left in Tuesday's 107-105 victory at Milwaukee and was one of six players to score in double figures with 18 points and 11 assists. The Suns led by 17 points at halftime and by as many as 21 points before a 27-4 second-half run by the Bucks made things interesting.

Michael Redd faced his former Milwaukee team for the first time and finished with 14 points in a reserve role.

"It was pretty much fun to watch. Mike [Redd] obviously had a huge career here. Trying to be back playing is amazing," Nash said. "For him to come back to Milwaukee under all the things he had to face with his injuries and put on a show like that in the first was exciting for all of us on the bench."

Redd, who signed with the Suns in December, had spent his entire career with Milwaukee, averaging 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 578 contests over 11 seasons. Channing Frye also had 14 points, while Marcin Gortat and Jared Dudley posted 21 and 19 points, respectively, for Phoenix, which is 4-1 this month and hasn't won four straight since Feb. 23-28, 2011. The Suns are 5-2 in the past seven games.

Grant Hill contributed 13 points in a winning effort and Josh Childress had a game-high tying 12 rebounds off the bench, the most in the NBA this season by a bench player that did not score in the game.

The Suns, owners of a 5-6 record in the desert, are playing just their second home game over a nine-game stretch and will begin a three-game road trip Saturday against the Kings, Warriors and Nuggets. A win tonight would put the Suns within two games of .500 for the first time since Jan. 12 (4-6).

Meanwhile, Houston will continue a six-game road trip Thursday and improved to 2-1 on the swing with last night's 103-96 win at Portland.

Goran Dragic filled in for an injured Kyle Lowry and scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, while Chase Budinger had 22 points to lead the Rockets, who got a season-high 66 points from their bench on 24-for-43 shooting (.558), won for the 12th time in the past 16 games and pushed their road ledger to 5-8 this season.

"Our bench was fantastic. You have to reward the guys who are playing well," Rockets head coach Kevin McHale said. "They deserved to finish the game."

Lowry left the game late in the third quarter with a strained right elbow and finished the contest with 12 points. He is questionable for tonight. Courtney Lee and Luis Scola scored 16 and 12 points, respectively, in the win. The Rockets still have Golden State and Memphis to play on the trek.

In other Rockets news, the NBA announced Wednesday that Houston will host the 2013 All-Star game.

"I am thrilled the Rockets and the City of Houston have once again brought NBA All-Star to Toyota Center," said Houston Rockets owner Leslie Alexander. "The 2006 All-Star Game in Houston was a tremendous success and we plan to set the bar even higher in 2013. We take great pride in Toyota Center's standing as one of the premier venues in the country and are honored to be the first arena in Texas to host the game for a second time."

Houston just beat Phoenix, 99-81, last Friday at home thanks to Kevin Martin's game-high 16 points. Martin led seven players in double figures for the Rockets, who have won two in a row against the Suns since losing the previous seven meetings between the teams. Phoenix, however, has won four in a row and 10 of the past 14 encounters with Houston in the Valley of the Sun.