Suns storm back in 2nd half to shock Nuggets

NEW YORK: The Phoenix Suns scored 81 second-half points to stun Denver 132-117 on Monday and end the Nuggets' five-game winning streak.

Amare Stoudemire had 41 points and 14 rebounds to fire the Suns' recovery after they trailed 70-51 at the half while shooting just 32 percent in Phoenix.

Steve Nash added 36 points and eight assists for the Suns, who scored 46 points in the final quarter to deal the Nuggets' Western Conference playoff hopes a crushing blow. Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Denver started the night in a three-way tie with Dallas and Golden State for seventh place in the West, but ended the evening in ninth, one game behind Dallas and a half-game adrift of Golden State.

Denver finally got out of ninth place in the Conference with a win over Golden State on Saturday.

Phoenix (50-24) moved into a tie with the idle Los Angeles Lakers for first place in the Pacific Division. It is the fourth straight season the Suns have won at least 50 games and they had to overcome a 22-point deficit at one point on Monday to do it.

With the Mavericks on 46 victories and the Warriors and Nuggets on 45, it is now possible that a 50-win team could miss the NBA's postseason for the first time.

The Nuggets shot a sizzling 60 percent in the first half but were out-scored 35-22 in the third quarter and 46-25 in the final 12 minutes.

J.R. Smith led Denver with 23 points. Allen Iverson added 21 points and seven assists and Carmelo Anthony chipped in with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

The teams meet again on Tuesday in Denver.

In Indianapolis, Jermaine O'Neal scored nine points after sitting out for more than two months with a knee injury, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat 105-85 on Monday.

O'Neal shot 3-for-4 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line in 18 minutes. He had missed 33 straight games with a bone bruise, and the Pacers went 12-21 during that period.

Danny Granger led Indiana with 23 points, and Daequan Cook led Miami with 16.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, Chris Bosh scored 32 points and Toronto remained alone in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, after beating Bobcats 104-100.

Bosh hit 13 of 16 free throws and added eight rebounds and five assists for the Raptors, who pulled a game ahead of idle Philadelphia in the playoff race.

Anthony Parker added 20 points and T.J. Ford added 15, including the clinching free throw with 1.9 seconds left for the Raptors.

Jason Richardson scored 18 of his 26 points in the first half, Gerald Wallace scored 20 points and Emeka Okafor had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Charlotte.

In Salt Lake City, C.J. Miles scored a career-high 29 points and Utah set a team record with 15 3-pointers in a 129-87 win over Washington.

Deron Williams had 12 points and 16 assists, despite resting most of the fourth quarter, and Mehmet Okur returned from a stomach virus with 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Carlos Boozer added 19 points and Kyle Korver scored 15, making all six of his shots.

Utah outrebounded Washington 40-23, had 40 assists on 50 field goals and shot almost 60 percent (50-for-84).

Antawn Jamison led Washington with 22 points.

Agencies

(China Daily 04/02/2008 page23)