Box Score

 

PHOENIX (112)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
Q Richardson        40  6-14   3-3   0-5   0   2   18
S Marion            42  7-17   7-7   2-6   1   3   22
A Stoudemire        38  6-11  8-15   4-9   1   5   20
S Nash              36  8-14   4-4   1-6  12   3   21
J Johnson           46 10-20   2-2  2-10   5   2   24
S Hunter             9   0-1   0-2   1-2   0   1    0
B Outlaw             3   0-0   0-0   1-1   0   0    0
L Barbosa           12   2-4   0-0   1-1   2   2    4
C Jacobsen          14   1-1   0-0   0-0   1   3    3
Y Tabuse           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
Z Cabarkapa        DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
M Lampe            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 40-82 24-33 12-40  22  21  112
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.488, FT-.727. 3-Point Goals:
8-23, .348 (Q Richardson 3-9, S Marion 1-3, S
Nash 1-3, J Johnson 2-6, L Barbosa 0-1, C 
Jacobsen 1-1). Team Rebounds: 12. Blocked 
Shots:1 (A Stoudemire). Turnovers:11 (A 
Stoudemire 4, S Nash 3, S Marion 3, L 
Barbosa). Steals: 3 (S Marion 2, L Barbosa).


SEATTLE (110)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
R Evans             35   3-4  7-11  3-14   2   5   13
R Lewis             40 10-19   2-3   2-7   2   2   26
J James             12   3-3   0-0   0-2   0   3    6
R Allen             42 15-26   1-1   2-5   3   1   32
L Ridnour           24   2-9   2-2   3-4   9   4    6
V Radmanovic        36  6-12   0-0   1-3   1   4   14
A Daniels           25   3-8   4-5   1-3   4   1   11
D Fortson           12   1-3   0-0   2-3   0   5    2
R Murray            12   0-4   0-0   0-2   1   0    0
N Collison           2   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   0    0
V Potapenko        DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
I Kutluay          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 43-88 16-22 14-43  22  25  110
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.489, FT-.727. 3-Point Goals:
8-26, .308 (R Lewis 4-10, R Allen 1-6, L 
Ridnour 0-1, V Radmanovic 2-7, A Daniels 
1-2). Team Rebounds: 7. Blocked Shots:4 (R 
Lewis, J James, V Radmanovic, R Evans). 
Turnovers:12 (R Allen 3, R Lewis 2, V 
Radmanovic 2, L Ridnour 2, D Fortson, A 
Daniels, R Evans). Steals: 5 (L Ridnour 2, R 
Allen, R Evans, V Radmanovic).

--------------------------------------------
PHOENIX               21  34  23  34  -  112
SEATTLE               37  20  24  29  -  110
-------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Seattle - 3 (Defensive 
Three, 1:24 1st; Defensive Three, 1:29 1st; 
Defensive Three, 5:10 4th).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 17,072. T: 2:32. 
Officials: Joe Derosa, Luis Grillo, Robby 
Robinson.

Extended Box

 

PHOENIX (112) AT SEATTLE (110)

PHOENIX

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
Q RICHARDSON      F    40    6-14     3-3      0   5   5    0   2   0   0   18
S MARION          F    42    7-17     7-7      2   4   6    1   3   2   3   22
A STOUDEMIRE      C    38    6-11     8-15     4   5   9    1   5   0   4   20
S NASH            G    36    8-14     4-4      1   5   6   12   3   0   3   21
J JOHNSON         G    46   10-20     2-2      2   8  10    5   2   0   0   24
S HUNTER                9    0-1      0-2      1   1   2    0   1   0   0    0
B OUTLAW                3    0-0      0-0      1   0   1    0   0   0   0    0
L BARBOSA              12    2-4      0-0      1   0   1    2   2   1   1    4
C JACOBSEN             14    1-1      0-0      0   0   0    1   3   0   0    3
Y TABUSE              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
Z CABARKAPA           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
M LAMPE               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   40-82    24-33    12  28  40   22  21   3  11  112
                            (.488)  (.727)  TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 11 (6 PTS)     

SEATTLE

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
R EVANS           F    35    3-4      7-11     3  11  14    2   5   1   1   13
R LEWIS           F    40   10-19     2-3      2   5   7    2   2   0   2   26
J JAMES           C    12    3-3      0-0      0   2   2    0   3   0   0    6
R ALLEN           G    42   15-26     1-1      2   3   5    3   1   1   3   32
L RIDNOUR         G    24    2-9      2-2      3   1   4    9   4   2   2    6
V RADMANOVIC           36    6-12     0-0      1   2   3    1   4   1   2   14
A DANIELS              25    3-8      4-5      1   2   3    4   1   0   1   11
D FORTSON              12    1-3      0-0      2   1   3    0   5   0   1    2
R MURRAY               12    0-4      0-0      0   2   2    1   0   0   0    0
N COLLISON              2    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   0   0   0    0
V POTAPENKO           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
I KUTLUAY             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   43-88    16-22    14  29  43   22  25   5  12  110
                            (.489)  (.727)  TEAM REBS:  7 TOTAL TO: 14 (16 PTS)    
  
   PHOENIX            21   34   23   34   -   112
   SEATTLE            37   20   24   29   -   110
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: PHOENIX - A STOUDEMIRE.  SEATTLE - R LEWIS, J JAMES,
V RADMANOVIC, R EVANS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: PHOENIX 8-23 (.348), Q RICHARDSON 3-9, S MARION 1-
3, S NASH 1-3, J JOHNSON 2-6, L BARBOSA 0-1, C JACOBSEN 1-1. SEATTLE 8-
26 (.308), R LEWIS 4-10, R ALLEN 1-6, L RIDNOUR 0-1, V RADMANOVIC 2-
7, A DANIELS 1-2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: SEATTLE - DEFENSIVE THREE 3.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: JOE DEROSA, LUIS GRILLO, ROBBY ROBINSON.
A - 17,072. T - 2:32.

Game Story

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- In a heavily hyped affair, Shawn Marion 
was quiet until making some noise when it counted.

Marion scored 10 of his 22 points in the final three minutes and
the Phoenix Suns stepped up their defensive presence down the
stretch to survive for the seventh straight time on the road,
posting a 112-110 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.

"It was just my turn," Marion said. "We have so many weapons on
this team, but it was my turn tonight."

The teams combined to produce a 66-98 record last season and
were afterthoughts in a competitive Western Conference playoff
race.  In a dramatic reversal, they entered Friday's action with
a combined mark of 37-7 and the top two records in the league.

The best scoring team in the NBA, Phoenix was in danger of
seeing its six-game winning streak snapped before Marion keyed a
late run.

After a 10-4 surge gave the Sonics a 102-95 lead with just over
three minutes left, Marion silenced a raucous crowd with a
3-pointer to trigger a 10-1 burst.

Steve Nash fed Marion for a dunk on the Suns' next possession.
After Quentin Richardson gave Phoenix the lead for good with a
three-point play at the 1:09 mark, Marion made five straight
free throws so help seal the win.

"We didn't play very well tonight, but someone always seems to
go on a run when we need it," said Nash, who had 12 assists to
reach double figures in that category for the seventh straight
game. "I thought our defense in spurts was really good and it
has been all year."

Seattle went 3:10 without a field goal until a pair of
desperation 3-pointers in the closing seconds.

Joe Johnson scored 24 points to lead four players with at least
20 for the Suns.  His layup with 44 seconds left put the Suns
up, 107-104.

"If we make stops and don't break down on the defensive end of
the floor, you have a chance to win this game," Sonics coach
Nate McMillan said. "Defensively we just broke down that last
minute."

Phoenix improved its league-best road mark to 10-1, with the
last two wins by a combined five points.

"That was a great game," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They
started off really fired up.  They were out of their minds at
first.  We held tough like we've been doing most of the year.
We made some stops at the end.  We just don't lose heart."

Seattle's Ray Allen scored 32 points but just six in the fourth
quarter and did not make a 3-pointer until five seconds
remained.  The league's best 3-point shooting team entering the
game, the Sonics were just 8-of-26 from the arc.

"We just had breakdowns at the end that allowed them to get back
into the game, and then we missed a couple of shots at the end
and that's the ballgame," McMillan said.

Despite the loss, Allen thought the game was fun.

"It was a great game to be a part of," Allen said. "It was very
up-tempo.  Shots were rolling in from everywhere.  I missed a
layup (late in the game) and I know that would have put us in a
different situation.  But the final conclusion is that they beat
us.  We could have won, but it's over with now."

With 17,000-plus energized from the opening tip, the Sonics
started fast, shooting 62 percent in the first quarter en route
to a 37-21 lead.

Phoenix roared back to cut the halftime deficit to 57-55.

"They are a great team," Marion said. "I give them thumbs up.
Coach McMillan has them out there doing his thing.  They hit
some big shots.  You have to give them credit."