Suns 86 - 103 Clippers
Final
  for this game

Suns try to get back on track against Clippers

Mar 28, 2012 - 2:49 PM (Sports Network) - The Suns' playoff hopes took a blow in the desert on Tuesday night.

Things don't figure to get any easier in Hollywood tonight as Phoenix visits a Clippers team shooting for its fifth straight home win.

Tim Duncan dropped in 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds on Tuesday as the San Antonio Spurs topped the Suns, 107-100, at US Airways Center.

Shannon Brown drained five three-pointers en route to a career-high 32 points to pace Phoenix, while Marcin Gortat had a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds and Steve Nash added 16 points and eight assists. Sebastian Telfair donated 11 points for the Suns, who saw their two-game win streak come to an end.

"I thought we started well offensively, but we weren't very good defensively," Suns head coach Alvin Gentry said. "We gave up a couple of crucial offensive rebounds and turned the ball over late, and they did a great job of controlling the game late."

Phoenix is still a solid 11-5 since the All-Star break and is currently 10th in the West, two games behind Utah and Denver for the final two spots in the Western Conference playoff hunt with 16 games to play.

The Clippers, meanwhile, are currently the fourth seed out West and 2 1/2 games behind the Lakers for the Pacific Division lead after a 97-85 win over New Orleans on Monday.

Chris Paul had game-highs of 25 points and 10 assists against his former team in that one.

Paul and the Clippers fell in the Big Easy last Thursday, marking their third straight loss, but bounced back with a victory over the Grizzlies on Saturday. They got 20 points from Blake Griffin and 17 from Nick Young in Monday's win.

"I could care less who the opponent was, we needed this win," said Paul. "It's not about who we are playing against, I am far past that. It is about us getting wins right now."

The Clips, who are 17-8 as the host at Staples Center this season, have lost four straight to Phoenix, including a pair of meetings in 2011-12.






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