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Struggling Suns meet surprising Warriors

Nov 20, 2006 - 4:32 PM Phoenix (3-6) at Golden State (7-3) 10:30 pm EST

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors are pulling off a role reversal this season.

The struggling Suns, who are winless on the road, visit the surprising Warriors on Monday.

Phoenix has been one of the most exciting teams in the NBA over the past two seasons. Point guard Steve Nash won back-to-back MVPs and the Suns made two straight appearances in the Western Conference finals.

However, this season, things have been different with Phoenix struggling to integrate star forward Amare Stoudemire into the lineup. The 6-10 Stoudemire is coming off microfracture surgery last season and has yet to return to form in Phoenix's 3-6 start.

Golden State, which has not made the playoffs since 1994, put together a promising young team over the past few seasons that had not yet shown its potential. That may be about to change as the Warriors are off to a 7-3 start with six wins at home.

Monta Ellis scored a career-high 31 points and matched a career best with seven assists as Golden State posted their fifth straight win, a 107-95 victory over the Seattle on Saturday.

Mickael Pietrus had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Jason Richardson added 18 points for the Warriors, who improved to 5-0 on their seven-game homestand.

Shawn Marion led the Suns with 35 points, including the club's first nine in overtime, and Raja Bell scored 20, as Phoenix dropped a 120-117 decision to Utah on Saturday.

Playing without Steve Nash (back) for a second straight game, Phoenix also finished the game minus Bell and Stoudemire, who both fouled out late in the fourth quarter.

The Suns won three of the four meetings with the Warriors last season.