ducks
01-12-2005, 09:58 AM
Phoenix (31-4) at Utah (12-24)
The Phoenix Suns have the best record in the NBA, and appear intent on keeping it.
Red-hot Phoenix looks to continue dominating the league as it visits the Utah Jazz.
On Tuesday, the Suns added the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat to the growing list of teams they have run past this season. Amare Stoudemire scored 34 points as the Suns won their seventh straight, and 18th in 19 games, 122-107 in a matchup of the teams with the best records in their respective conferences.
All five Suns starters hit double figures -- in the first half -- and Phoenix improved its NBA-best record to 31-4, the sixth-best start for a team with four losses in league history. Four of the five ahead of them went on to win the NBA title.
``Just right now it's fitting all together,'' Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. ''(Steve Nash) makes it look easy, and the other guys make it look easy. They play off each other. This is probably our best stretch we've had all year.''
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Shawn Marion had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Nash finished with 16 points and 16 assists and Joe Johnson had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who topped 120 points for the second game in a row and seventh time this season.
Phoenix began a stretch of four games in five nights, with the next three on the road.
Utah is coming off it most emotional win of the season as it snapped a season-high nine-game losing streak with a 97-96 victory over San Antonio on Monday.
Mehmet Okur's putback rolled in at the buzzer to give the Jazz their first win since a 103-101 triumph over Philadelphia on Dec. 20. The nine-game skid was Utah's longest since 1983, and the win also ended an 18-game slide against the Spurs dating to Feb. 6, 2000.
Okur finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds and Carlos Boozer and Gordan Giricek each scored 13 points for the Jazz, who have won six of their last 10 against Phoenix.
Updated on Wednesday
The Phoenix Suns have the best record in the NBA, and appear intent on keeping it.
Red-hot Phoenix looks to continue dominating the league as it visits the Utah Jazz.
On Tuesday, the Suns added the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat to the growing list of teams they have run past this season. Amare Stoudemire scored 34 points as the Suns won their seventh straight, and 18th in 19 games, 122-107 in a matchup of the teams with the best records in their respective conferences.
All five Suns starters hit double figures -- in the first half -- and Phoenix improved its NBA-best record to 31-4, the sixth-best start for a team with four losses in league history. Four of the five ahead of them went on to win the NBA title.
``Just right now it's fitting all together,'' Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. ''(Steve Nash) makes it look easy, and the other guys make it look easy. They play off each other. This is probably our best stretch we've had all year.''
ADVERTISEMENT
Shawn Marion had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Nash finished with 16 points and 16 assists and Joe Johnson had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who topped 120 points for the second game in a row and seventh time this season.
Phoenix began a stretch of four games in five nights, with the next three on the road.
Utah is coming off it most emotional win of the season as it snapped a season-high nine-game losing streak with a 97-96 victory over San Antonio on Monday.
Mehmet Okur's putback rolled in at the buzzer to give the Jazz their first win since a 103-101 triumph over Philadelphia on Dec. 20. The nine-game skid was Utah's longest since 1983, and the win also ended an 18-game slide against the Spurs dating to Feb. 6, 2000.
Okur finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds and Carlos Boozer and Gordan Giricek each scored 13 points for the Jazz, who have won six of their last 10 against Phoenix.
Updated on Wednesday