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Nash lifts Suns past Nuggets 106-101
Steve Nash took over the game in the last 7 minutes Sunday night, scoring 10 of his 25 points over that span to help Phoenix snap Denver's eight-game winning streak with a 106-101 victory.
Nash also had 11 assists — three key ones down the stretch — as the Suns won for the fifth time in six games and took a half-game lead over San Antonio for the best record in the NBA.
Kenyon Martin had 21 points for Denver, a half-game behind the Lakers for eighth in the West after a game that had a playoff atmosphere from beginning to end. Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony scored only nine points on 2-for-10 shooting, and spent the final minutes on the bench.
After Wesley Person made three 3-pointers to put the Nuggets ahead 90-85, Nash started commanding the game, the way he has often in this, his first season since leaving Dallas and signing with the Suns as a free agent.
He hit a 3-pointer and a spinning layup to tie it at 90. Minutes later, he made a sweet, spinning move and saw Shawn Marion (19 points) open for an easy score and a 96-92 lead. One free throw and a 3-pointer by Quentin Richardson with an assist from Nash helped Phoenix to a 102-99 lead with a minute left.
The teams traded points and Nash finally missed with about 10 seconds left. Denver got the ball to Andre Miller in transition, but his 3-pointer missed badly and Denver's longest winning streak since 1987-88 was over.
Joe Johnson had 23 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix, which won a thriller in Denver in December when Richardson hit a tip-in at the buzzer for a two-point victory. That was viewed as one of the best games of the season, and this one wasn't far behind.
Martin, playing with an injured knee, waved his hands and got the crowd pumped up after a call went against Denver early in the fourth, and that triggered the run that put the Nuggets ahead by five.
Some teams might have folded, but the Suns didn't. They overcame a little dry spell, then let Nash take over. A few minutes later, Phoenix walked away a winner and Suns coach Mike D'Antoni improved to 2-0 this season against his former team, with two games in Phoenix left.
Those games could offer a preview of the playoffs if the Nuggets keep playing well.
They are 15-5 since George Karl became coach on Jan. 27 and have climbed back right into the thick of the playoff race. This was the first of a seven-game homestand during which Karl thought the run would begin.
This was Denver's first loss since Doug Moe returned to the bench as Karl's assistant. ... Denver center Marcus Camby missed the game with a hamstring injury. ... Marion's status was a gametime decision because of a knee injury.
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