GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: LA CLIPPERS (6-4) at PHOENIX (10-2)

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at PHOENIX

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 92
PHOENIX 102 2:48 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at PHOENIX

<div class="pre">NBA LA CLIPPERS 94
PHOENIX 113 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at PHOENIX

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
LA CLIPPERS 27 25 22 20 94
PHOENIX 22 29 35 27 113 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: LAC - SAM CASSELL 26, RUBEN PATTERSON 18,
CHRIS KAMAN 17
PHO - AMARE STOUDEMIRE 29, SHAWN MARION 21,
STEVE NASH 20</div>

 

By Bob Huhn
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


PHOENIX (Ticker) - The Phoenix Suns' high-powered offense provedto be too much for the injury-riddled Los Angeles Clippers.

Amare Stoudemire poured in 27 points and Steve Nash added 20 tolift the Suns past the Clippers, 113-94, on Friday night fortheir eighth consecutive victory.


Shawn Marion scored 19 points, pulled down 14 rebounds andtallied five steals for Phoenix, which improved to 11-2 to matchits best start in franchise history.


The Suns, who averaged an NBA-leading 108.1 points per gameentering the contest, were coming off a season-high 127 points,80 of which came in the first half to mark the most in the NBAin more than a decade - Wednesday against Sacramento.

But Phoenix struggled in the first half Friday, trailing theClippers after one quarter, 27-22, and 52-51 at the half asveteran point guard Sam Cassell led all scorers with 18 pointsat the intermission


Sparked by increased defensive pressure and All-Stars Stoudemireand Nash, the Suns ignited their offense in the third quarter,opening the frame with a 12-2 run to take the lead for good.Stoudemire and Nash combined for all 12 points during the spurt.

The Clippers cut the deficit to six, but Phoenix responded withanother tear, scoring eight of the next 10 points and takingcommand with an 86-74 lead after three quarters.


Los Angeles (6-5) was without the services of Elton Brand(Achilles tendon) and Shawn Livingston (dislocated left knee),who have been out since the start of the season. Adding to itswoes was the absence of leading scored Corey Maggette, whomissed his third consecutive game with a strained righthamstring, and Brevin Knight, who sat out with a strained rightgroin.


Cuttino Mobley, Quinton Ross and Al Thornton are all dealingwith minor injuries but played through the pain for theClippers.


Cassell finished with 26 points and Ruben Patterson came off thebench and contributed 18 points and 11 boards for the Clippers,who have now lost five of their last seven games afterbeginning the season winning their first four contests.

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at PHOENIX

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
LA CLIPPERS 94
PHOENIX 113 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at PHOENIX

<div class="pre">LA CLIPPERS (94) AT PHOENIX (113)

LA CLIPPERS

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

Q ROSS F 33:02 3-13 0-0 1 5 6 0 3 1 0 7
T THOMAS F 33:45 4-9 2-2 0 2 2 4 4 1 1 11
C KAMAN C 41:04 6-18 5-10 1 13 14 4 2 1 2 17
C MOBLEY G 34:37 1-5 0-0 0 1 1 4 1 0 4 2
S CASSELL G 26:42 9-16 6-6 0 2 2 0 2 0 3 26
R PATTERSON 29:59 9-16 0-0 6 5 11 1 0 2 0 18
D DICKAU 21:18 2-3 4-4 0 0 0 2 3 3 3 9
A THORNTON 16:54 1-5 2-2 0 5 5 0 3 0 1 4
P DAVIS 2:39 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
A WILLIAMS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
B KNIGHT DNP - COACH'S DECISION
J POWELL DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 35-85 19-24 8 33 41 15 19 8 14 94
(.412) (.792) TEAM REBS: 4 TOTAL TO: 14 (17 PTS)

PHOENIX

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

G HILL F 38:17 8-18 2-2 2 3 5 3 1 0 0 19
S MARION F 38:42 10-17 1-2 3 14 17 1 3 5 3 21
A STOUDEMIRE C 29:55 10-16 9-10 1 10 11 1 5 2 2 29
R BELL G 33:39 4-12 0-0 0 4 4 1 5 1 2 9
S NASH G 34:36 6-9 6-6 0 2 2 10 0 1 4 20
L BARBOSA 25:10 2-10 2-2 1 0 1 2 2 0 0 6
B DIAW 28:27 2-5 3-4 2 9 11 4 0 1 2 7
B SKINNER 7:04 1-1 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2
M BANKS 4:10 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
E PIATKOWSKI DNP - COACH'S DECISION
D STRAWBERRY DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S MARKS DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 43-88 23-26 10 42 52 22 18 10 13 113
(.489) (.885) TEAM REBS: 6 TOTAL TO: 13 (13 PTS)

LA CLIPPERS 27 25 22 20 - 94
PHOENIX 22 29 35 27 - 113

BLOCKED SHOTS: LA CLIPPERS - C KAMAN 4, C MOBLEY 2. PHOENIX - S MARION 2,
G HILL, B DIAW, B SKINNER.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: LA CLIPPERS 5-11 (.455), Q ROSS 1-2, T THOMAS 1-
2, C MOBLEY 0-1, S CASSELL 2-3, D DICKAU 1-2, A THORNTON 0-1. PHOENIX 4-
17 (.235), G HILL 1-2, S MARION 0-3, R BELL 1-4, S NASH 2-3, L BARBOSA 0-
5.
TECHNICAL FOULS: LA CLIPPERS - T THOMAS, S CASSELL. PHOENIX - A
STOUDEMIRE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BILL KENNEDY, BILL SPOONER, MARK AYOTTE.
A - 18,422. T - 2:10.</div>

 

NBA: LA CLIPPERS at PHOENIX

<div class="pre">LA CLIPPERS (94)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
Q Ross 33:02 3-13 0-0 1-6 0 3 7
T Thomas 33:45 4-9 2-2 0-2 4 4 11
C Kaman 41:04 6-18 5-10 1-14 4 2 17
C Mobley 34:37 1-5 0-0 0-1 4 1 2
S Cassell 26:42 9-16 6-6 0-2 0 2 26
R Patterson 29:59 9-16 0-0 6-11 1 0 18
D Dickau 21:18 2-3 4-4 0-0 2 3 9
A Thornton 16:54 1-5 2-2 0-5 0 3 4
P Davis 2:39 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0
A Williams DNP - COACH'S DECISION
B Knight DNP - COACH'S DECISION
J Powell DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 35-85 19-24 8-41 15 19 94
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.412, FT-.792. 3-Point Goals:
5-11, .455 (Q Ross 1-2, T Thomas 1-2, C
Mobley 0-1, S Cassell 2-3, D Dickau 1-2, A
Thornton 0-1). Team Rebounds: 4. Blocked
Shots:6 (C Kaman 4, C Mobley 2). Turnovers:14
(C Mobley 4, S Cassell 3, D Dickau 3, C Kaman
2, T Thomas, A Thornton). Steals: 8 (D Dickau
3, R Patterson 2, T Thomas, C Kaman, Q Ross).


PHOENIX (113)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
G Hill 38:17 8-18 2-2 2-5 3 1 19
S Marion 38:42 10-17 1-2 3-17 1 3 21
A Stoudemire 29:55 10-16 9-10 1-11 1 5 29
R Bell 33:39 4-12 0-0 0-4 1 5 9
S Nash 34:36 6-9 6-6 0-2 10 0 20
L Barbosa 25:10 2-10 2-2 1-1 2 2 6
B Diaw 28:27 2-5 3-4 2-11 4 0 7
B Skinner 7:04 1-1 0-0 1-1 0 0 2
M Banks 4:10 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 0
E Piatkowski DNP - COACH'S DECISION
D Strawberry DNP - COACH'S DECISION
S Marks DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 43-88 23-26 10-52 22 18 113
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.489, FT-.885. 3-Point Goals:
4-17, .235 (G Hill 1-2, S Marion 0-3, R Bell
1-4, S Nash 2-3, L Barbosa 0-5). Team
Rebounds: 6. Blocked Shots:5 (S Marion 2, G
Hill, B Diaw, B Skinner). Turnovers:13 (S
Nash 4, S Marion 3, R Bell 2, B Diaw 2, A
Stoudemire 2). Steals: 10 (S Marion 5, A
Stoudemire 2, S Nash, R Bell, B Diaw).

-------------------------------------------
LA CLIPPERS 27 25 22 20 - 94
PHOENIX 22 29 35 27 - 113
-------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: La Clippers - 2 (T Thomas,
2:11 2nd; S Cassell, 4:05 2nd). Phoenix - 1
(A Stoudemire, 4:20 2nd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 18,422. T: 2:10.
Officials: Bill Kennedy, Bill Spooner, Mark
Ayotte.</div>

 

By Bob Huhn
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


PHOENIX (Ticker) - The Phoenix Suns' high-powered offense provedto be too much for the injury-riddled Los Angeles Clippers.

Amare Stoudemire poured in 27 points and Steve Nash added 20 tolift the Suns past the Clippers, 113-94, on Friday night fortheir eighth consecutive victory.


Shawn Marion scored 19 points, pulled down 14 rebounds andtallied five steals for Phoenix, which improved to 11-2 to matchits best start in franchise history.


The Suns, who averaged an NBA-leading 108.1 points per gameentering the contest, were coming off a season-high 127 points,80 of which came in the first half to mark the most in the NBAin more than a decade - Wednesday against Sacramento.

But Phoenix struggled in the first half Friday, trailing theClippers after one quarter, 27-22, and 52-51 at the half asveteran point guard Sam Cassell led all scorers with 18 pointsat the intermission


Sparked by increased defensive pressure and All-Stars Stoudemireand Nash, the Suns ignited their offense in the third quarter,opening the frame with a 12-2 run to take the lead for good.Stoudemire and Nash combined for all 12 points during the spurt.

The Clippers cut the deficit to six, but Phoenix responded withanother tear, scoring eight of the next 10 points and takingcommand with an 86-74 lead after three quarters.


Los Angeles (6-5) was without the services of Elton Brand(Achilles tendon) and Shaun Livingston (dislocated left knee),who have been out since the start of the season. Adding to itswoes was the absence of leading scored Corey Maggette, whomissed his third consecutive game with a strained righthamstring, and Brevin Knight, who sat out with a strained rightgroin.


Cuttino Mobley, Quinton Ross and Al Thornton are all dealingwith minor injuries but played through the pain for theClippers.


Cassell finished with 26 points and Ruben Patterson came off thebench and contributed 18 points and 11 boards for the Clippers,who have now lost five of their last seven games afterbeginning the season winning their first four contests.

 

By Bob Huhn
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


PHOENIX (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Suns' high-powered offense provedto be too much for the injury-riddled Los Angeles Clippers.

Amare Stoudemire poured in 27 points and Steve Nash added 20 tolift the Suns past the Clippers, 113-94, on Friday night fortheir eighth consecutive victory.


Shawn Marion scored 19 points, pulled down 14 rebounds andtallied five steals for Phoenix, which improved to 11-2 to matchits best start in franchise history.


"It is all good, but we can get a lot better," Suns coach MikeD'Antoni said. "There will be nights when it won't work but 78out of 82 times it will work."


The Suns, who averaged an NBA-leading 108.1 points per gameentering the contest, were coming off a season-high 127 points,80 of which came in the first half to mark the most in the NBAin more than a decade - Wednesday against Sacramento.

But Phoenix struggled in the first half Friday, trailing theClippers after one quarter, 27-22, and 52-51 at the half asveteran point guard Sam Cassell led all scorers with 18 pointsat the intermission.


Sparked by increased defensive pressure and All-Stars Stoudemireand Nash, the Suns ignited their offense in the third quarter,opening the frame with a 12-2 run to take the lead for good.Stoudemire and Nash combined for all 12 points during the spurt.

"The second-half intensity was definitely important to us,"Stoudemire said. "The first five minutes in that half is whatwe keyed on, and we were able to get it going. Once they dropoff to me at the basket, it throws guys off guard. It waspretty much a team effort where my teammates did most of thework and I just finished."


The Clippers cut the deficit to six, but Phoenix responded withanother tear, scoring eight of the next 10 points and takingcommand with an 86-74 lead after three quarters.


"Amare got us going offensively, and I got us goingdefensively," Marion said. "We were all active and were helpingeach other out. We started moving the ball then and pushingourselves and we pulled away with it."


Los Angeles (6-5) was without the services of Elton Brand(Achilles tendon) and Shaun Livingston (dislocated left knee),who have been out since the start of the season.


Adding to its woes was the absence of leading scored CoreyMaggette, who missed his third consecutive game with a strainedright hamstring, and Brevin Knight, who sat out with a strainedright groin.


Cuttino Mobley, Quinton Ross and Al Thornton are all dealingwith minor injuries but played through the pain for theClippers.


"In the first half, we pretty much controlled the pace of thegame," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "In the second half,we didn't do a good job of making shots. We started off thethird quarter taking some bad shots. I thought they forced usinto some quick shots and we missed some easy shots."

Cassell finished with 26 points despite not starting in thesecond half and only playing eight minutes in the third quarterand none in the fourth.


"He (Dunleavy) knows where I am at. I ain't hard to find,"Cassell said. "I don't dictate playing time out here. I justdictate what I do on the court, but when I am sitting aroundlike you guys I can't do nothing. We have a game (Saturday) andmaybe he will play me (then)."


"When they jumped the lead out on us, we play (Saturday) nightback-to-back games," Dunleavy said. "I just felt that I didn'twant to take anymore of his legs. If we got back to singledigits, I would have put him back in."


Ruben Patterson came off thebench and contributed 18 points and11 boards for the Clippers, who have now lost five of their lastseven games after beginning the season winning their first fourcontests.