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Suns will enjoy Thanksgiving after back-to-back road wins
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Steve Nash carried the Suns to two wins in consecutive nights on
the road, scoring 20 points Wednesday in Minnesota. (AP Photo:
Jim Mone)
A night after escaping Oklahoma City with a one-point victory, the Suns won their third straight game Wednesday night defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-102.
Most would of thought the perennially strong Suns wouldn’t have much trouble the past two nights that included a back-to-back set with two of the worst teams in the NBA. Needing to come back from a 16-point deficit against the Thunder (1-15) on Tuesday, and letting an 18-point lead diminish on Wednesday against Minnesota (3-10) wasn’t exactly what anyone had in mind.
But a win is a win, and Phoenix rolls to the Thanksgiving table with their second back-to-back sweep in November. For an aging squad, two nights in a row can be tough, so regardless of the opponent, there is something to be said for the accomplishment.
Phoenix sat Shaquille O’Neal out of Tuesday’s game in a technique to have him at full strength for one of two games when back-to-backs arise on the schedule. They opted for his services on Wednesday night against Minnesota, seeing how the Wolves' young center Al Jefferson owned the Suns last season.
In four games last year, Jefferson averaged 30.5 points and 15 rebounds against the Suns, and a 22-60 Minnesota team beat Phoenix (55-27) twice.
Jefferson was again dominant despite O’Neal’s presence, finishing with 28 points and 17 rebounds, including 6 of 8 from the free throw line. 12 of Jefferson’s rebounds were on the offensive end, setting a new single-game franchise record in Minnesota.
Led by Jefferson’s force on the glass, the Timberwolves out-rebounded the Suns 49-36 in the game, but couldn’t translate many of those second chances into points. Minnesota shot just 42 percent from the field, and the sharp-shooting Mike Miller made only two of his eight shot attempts. Miller did, however, lead the team with six assists to go along with his nine rebounds and seven points.
As for the Suns, all five starters scored in double figures, including O’Neal who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds in 33 minutes on the court.
Steve Nash led the team with 20 points and six assists, and Raja Bell was 3 for 3 from behind the three-point arc on his way to 15 points.
Phoenix led by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, but a gritty Timberwolves team wouldn’t go down without a fight. Minnesota clawed within seven points with 6:48 remaining before the Suns pulled away for good in the fourth.
Phoenix rookie Sean Singletary backed Nash up at point guard for the fourth straight game. He made 3 of his 6 shot attempts to finish with his new career high of eight points, and pulled down five rebounds in 20 minutes.
The Suns (11-5) get to spend Thanksgiving at home with the day off and return to action Friday night to host the Miami Heat (7-8) and former Sun Shawn Marion. It will be the first game of Marion’s career playing in the US Airways Center as a member of the visiting team.
Nash nears another milestone
With his six assists, Nash is now only 10 behind Guy Rodgers’ 6,917 assists for 14th on the all-time list. Head coach Terry Porter is 11th on that list with 7,160 career assists, which Nash should pass during this season as well. Former Sun, and current Dallas Maverick Jason Kidd is the only active player on the list ahead of Nash, and is currently fifth all-time with 9,615 assists.
For more info: Suns 110, Timberwolves 102
Visit the Minnesota Timberwolves Examiner Joseph Oberle here.
Visit the Minnesota Timberwolves Examiner Joseph Oberle here.
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