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Fourth quarter rally lifts Suns over Thunder
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Matt Barnes made this three-pointer with 25 seconds left in Tuesday's
game to give the Suns a 99-98 win over the Thunder. (AP Photo: Sue
Ogrocki)
The Phoenix Suns trailed by as many as 16 points four different times on Tuesday night, but somehow found enough in them to rally past the Oklahoma City Thunder 99-98.
It was just the second time that Phoenix was able to secure a victory while scoring under 100 points. They did it for the first time in a 97-95 overtime win at Sacramento on November 14.
The Thunder, who were looking to win just their second game of the entire season, controlled the game for the majority of the night. Phoenix held the lead 26-25 at the end of the first quarter, but didn’t regain it again until Matt Barnes’ three-pointer with :25 seconds left in the game put them up for good.
With the Oklahoma City crowd scrounging for things to cheer about this season, they took every opportunity to get behind the Thunder as they pulled away in the first half. The players responded to the intensity coming from the fans as the Thunder outscored Phoenix 29-15 in the second quarter alone.
Down 54-41 at halftime, things just got worse for the Suns in the third quarter before they started to get better. The lowest point came with 1:40 remaining in the third, when Joe Smith sank a jumper off a Russell Westbrook pass to push the Thunder’s lead to 79-63. But from there the Suns began to inch their way back in.
Steve Nash, who scored only two points the entire first half, led Phoenix on an 11-0 run in the middle of the fourth quarter to bring them within one, 86-85. The teams then traded baskets until the Thunder’s Kevin Durant hit a three-pointer with 2:00 minutes left to put Oklahoma City back up 95-89.
As the crowd got loud again, sensing Durant’s shot might be the dagger, Nash inevitably cranked it up to eleven. His quick layup brought them back within four, and then after a shot clock violation by the Thunder, Nash pulled up to drain a three-pointer on an unsuspecting Thunder defense and Ford Center.
After Westbrook hit one of two free throws, Nash made another jumper that tied the game at 96. The Thunder’s Chris Wilcox made a tough layup underneath the basket to make it 98-96 with :34 seconds left, but that’s when Barnes hit the big three-pointer to give Phoenix their first and only lead since the first quarter.
The Thunder missed two shots on their last possession, and then couldn’t catch the Suns as they displayed their best ball movement of the night. With 8.4 seconds left in the game, Phoenix inbounded the ball, and as Oklahoma City scrambled desperately to foul them, the Suns were able to pass the ball around without getting touched, and ran the clock out to end the game.
Durant led all scorers with 29 points, but Phoenix held the Thunder to just 41.9 percent shooting from the field. Amare Stoudemire led the Suns in scoring with 22 points and seven rebounds, but it was Nash who dominated the box score. Providing most of his numbers in the second half, Nash finished with 20 points, 15 assists, and eight rebounds, but also had seven turnovers.
Leandro Barbosa, who missed the previous five games while in Brazil to mourn the loss of his mother, returned to game action scoring four points on 1 for 6 shooting in 12 minutes off the bench.
Phoenix was without starting center Shaquille O’Neal, opting to sit him out in anticipation for tomorrow’s second game of their back-to-back against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A well-rested O’Neal can hopefully help to contain Minnesota’s star center, Al Jefferson, who averaged over 30 points against Phoenix last season.
Rookie Robin Lopez started in place of O’Neal on Tuesday night, and finished with 11 points, five rebounds, and three blocks. The rookie’s evening was highlighted by a coast-to-coast breakaway he finished himself with a monster tomahawk slam.
For more info: Suns 99, Thunder 98
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