Box Score

 

PHOENIX (80)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
Q Richardson        29  3-14   6-9   0-0   2   5   13
S Marion            31   3-9   5-5   1-7   0   1   11
A Stoudemire        35  5-18   6-7   3-9   0   4   16
J Johnson           35  8-16   0-0   0-2   1   2   17
L Barbosa           29   4-7   0-0   0-2   2   3    8
S Hunter            17   1-2   0-0   2-6   0   1    2
C Jacobsen          30   3-5   0-0   1-3   3   1    7
J Vroman            10   1-4   2-2   2-4   2   1    4
J Voskuhl           14   0-1   2-2   1-5   1   2    2
B Outlaw             6   0-1   0-0   1-2   0   1    0
M Lampe              4   0-2   0-0   1-1   0   1    0
S Nash             DNP  - LEFT THIGH CONTUSION                           
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 28-79 21-25 12-41  11  22   80
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.354, FT-.840. 3-Point Goals:
3-17, .176 (Q Richardson 1-9, S Marion 0-2, J
Johnson 1-3, L Barbosa 0-1, C Jacobsen 1-2). 
Team Rebounds: 11. Blocked Shots:3 (S Hunter 
2, A Stoudemire). Turnovers:16 (Q Richardson 
3, J Johnson 3, L Barbosa 3, C Jacobsen 2, J 
Vroman 2, S Marion, S Hunter, A Stoudemire). 
Steals: 9 (A Stoudemire 3, J Voskuhl, Q 
Richardson, J Johnson, L Barbosa, C Jacobsen,
J Vroman).


DETROIT (94)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
T Prince            35  8-16   9-9   2-7   5   1   26
R Wallace           34  6-15   0-0   5-8   3   3   13
B Wallace           32   4-9   3-4  8-15   2   1   11
R Hamilton          37  5-14   5-6   1-3   5   1   16
C Billups           30  3-10   1-1   1-5   4   3    9
A McDyess           18  5-10   3-4   5-8   0   5   13
L Hunter            25   1-7   0-0   1-5   0   2    2
D Ham               11   1-3   0-0   2-2   0   2    2
D Milicic            7   1-3   0-0   0-1   0   1    2
A Goldwire           6   0-1   0-0   0-1   0   0    0
R Dupree             5   0-1   0-2   0-2   0   0    0
E Campbell         DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 34-89 21-26 25-57  19  19   94
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.382, FT-.808. 3-Point Goals:
5-15, .333 (T Prince 1-1, R Wallace 1-6, R 
Hamilton 1-1, C Billups 2-5, L Hunter 0-2). 
Team Rebounds: 6. Blocked Shots:4 (T Prince 
2, A McDyess, B Wallace). Turnovers:15 (R 
Hamilton 4, R Wallace 3, A McDyess 2, R 
Dupree 2, C Billups 2, T Prince, D Milicic). 
Steals: 10 (A McDyess 3, R Hamilton 2, B 
Wallace 2, L Hunter, T Prince, R Wallace).

-------------------------------------------
PHOENIX               20  24  16  20  -   80
DETROIT               29  28  22  15  -   94
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Phoenix - 1 (ASSISTANT 
Iavaroni, 8:13 2nd). Detroit - 1 (C Billups, 
0:15 1st).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 22,076. T: 2:06. 
Officials: Leroy Richardson, Steve Javie, Tim
Donaghy.

Extended Box

 

PHOENIX (80) AT DETROIT (94)

PHOENIX

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
Q RICHARDSON      F    29    3-14     6-9      0   0   0    2   5   1   3   13
S MARION          F    31    3-9      5-5      1   6   7    0   1   0   1   11
A STOUDEMIRE      C    35    5-18     6-7      3   6   9    0   4   3   1   16
J JOHNSON         G    35    8-16     0-0      0   2   2    1   2   1   3   17
L BARBOSA         G    29    4-7      0-0      0   2   2    2   3   1   3    8
S HUNTER               17    1-2      0-0      2   4   6    0   1   0   1    2
C JACOBSEN             30    3-5      0-0      1   2   3    3   1   1   2    7
J VROMAN               10    1-4      2-2      2   2   4    2   1   1   2    4
J VOSKUHL              14    0-1      2-2      1   4   5    1   2   1   0    2
B OUTLAW                6    0-1      0-0      1   1   2    0   1   0   0    0
M LAMPE                 4    0-2      0-0      1   0   1    0   1   0   0    0
S NASH                DNP  - LEFT THIGH CONTUSION                                     
  
TOTALS                240   28-79    21-25    12  29  41   11  22   9  16   80
                            (.354)  (.840)  TEAM REBS: 11 TOTAL TO: 16 (23 PTS)    

DETROIT

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
T PRINCE          F    35    8-16     9-9      2   5   7    5   1   1   1   26
R WALLACE         F    34    6-15     0-0      5   3   8    3   3   1   3   13
B WALLACE         C    32    4-9      3-4      8   7  15    2   1   2   0   11
R HAMILTON        G    37    5-14     5-6      1   2   3    5   1   2   4   16
C BILLUPS         G    30    3-10     1-1      1   4   5    4   3   0   2    9
A MCDYESS              18    5-10     3-4      5   3   8    0   5   3   2   13
L HUNTER               25    1-7      0-0      1   4   5    0   2   1   0    2
D HAM                  11    1-3      0-0      2   0   2    0   2   0   0    2
D MILICIC               7    1-3      0-0      0   1   1    0   1   0   1    2
A GOLDWIRE              6    0-1      0-0      0   1   1    0   0   0   0    0
R DUPREE                5    0-1      0-2      0   2   2    0   0   0   2    0
E CAMPBELL            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   34-89    21-26    25  32  57   19  19  10  15   94
                            (.382)  (.808)  TEAM REBS:  6 TOTAL TO: 15 (15 PTS)    
  
   PHOENIX            20   24   16   20   -   80
   DETROIT            29   28   22   15   -   94
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: PHOENIX - S HUNTER 2, A STOUDEMIRE.  DETROIT - T PRINCE 2,
A MCDYESS, B WALLACE.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: PHOENIX 3-17 (.176), Q RICHARDSON 1-9, S MARION 0-
2, J JOHNSON 1-3, L BARBOSA 0-1, C JACOBSEN 1-2. DETROIT 5-15 (.333),
T PRINCE 1-1, R WALLACE 1-6, R HAMILTON 1-1, C BILLUPS 2-5, L HUNTER 0-
2.
TECHNICAL FOULS: PHOENIX - ASSISTANT IAVARONI. DETROIT - C BILLUPS.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: LEROY RICHARDSON, STEVE JAVIE, TIM DONAGHY.
A - 22,076. T - 2:06.

Game Story

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Suns look lost 
without their quarterback.

Steve Nash sat out his second straight game with a bruised left
thigh, making the Suns' high-tempo offense look highly ordinary
in a 94-80 loss to the surging Detroit Pistons.

After signing a five-year, $65 million contract as a free agent,
Nash has helped transform the Suns (31-8) into the NBA's
highest-scoring team while leading them to the league's best
record.

But without the NBA's leader in assists for the second straight
game, the Suns were held to a season low in points - more than
29 below their average - in losing their fourth consecutive
contest.

"They're losing their Peyton Manning, so it's a little
different," Detroit point guard Chauncey Billups said. "The
Colts would play a lot different without Peyton Manning. So do
the Suns without Steve Nash.

"We can't worry about who they didn't have or whatever.  We
played good.  We were going to play the same way, the same
schemes, whether Steve Nash was playing or not.  He didn't play,
we won the game and that's the bottom line."

Nash was injured early in the second quarter of Friday's 101-83
loss at Indiana. He said before Monday's game that he expects to
play Wednesday at home vs. Memphis.

"We can win games without me, but not when we give up that many
offensive rebounds," said Nash, whose club allowed 25 offensive
boards.  "We just have to get back to the way we were playing
before, and we will.  It's a long season, and things like this
happen."

Against the Pistons, whose defensive tenacity helped them to the
NBA title last season, the Suns never were able to get into
sync offensively.  They shot just 35 percent (28-of-79), went
3-of-17 from the arc and had a season-low 11 assists.

Joe Johnson led Phoenix with 17 points.  Quentin Richardson
scored 13 on 3-for-14 shooting, including 1-for-9 from the arc.

It also was rough afternoon for Leandro Barbosa, who started in
Nash's place and had more turnovers (three) than assists (two).

"They just beat us on the boards, beat us all day, beat us up,
beat us in anything you want to talk about," Suns coach Mike
D'Antoni said.  "They were just quicker to the ball, a bit
stronger, and everything that you are afraid of.  When you are a
middleweight and they are a heavyweight and you cannot run
around the ring, they are going to catch you and pound you, and
that's what they did to us today."

The Pistons had little trouble finding their rhythm offensively
as they build a 20-7 lead seven minutes into the contest and
held a 57-44 advantage at the break.

Tayshaun Prince scored a career-high 26 points to pace the
Pistons, who have won a season-high six straight games and 11 of
13.

"The last three weeks, he has had a stretch as good as any young
player is going to have," Detroit coach Larry Brown said. "He's
getting better every game. We're running some things for him
now, but I'm talking about every phase of the game. He's
defending and rebounding and making good passes."

Richard Hamilton added 16 points and Rasheed Wallace and Antonio
McDyess each netted 13.  Ben Wallace also was active with 11
points and 15 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass.

Detroit (23-14) moved into first place in the Central Division,
one-half game ahead of Cleveland.

"We've been playing good for a while now, and hopefully we can
stay at this level and continue to get better," Billups said.