NBA Game Summary - Utah at Phoenix

Phoenix, AZ (Basketball News) - Eddie House scored a career-high 31 points, including seven three-pointers, as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Utah Jazz 102-94 at America West Arena.

House led five Suns in double figures, as Phoenix shot 49 percent from the floor and connected on 13 treys in the win.

Leandro Barbosa tallied 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while Steve Nash dished out 10 assists for the Suns, who have won two of their last three.

Mehmet Okur scored 29 points and rookie Deron Williams added 21 for Utah, which has lost four straight.

The Jazz shot just 42 percent, but received solid contributions off the bench from Kris Humphries, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Devin Brown with 11 points.

The second half belonged to the Arizona State product House, who energized the team on both ends of the floor.

Leading 74-67 entering the fourth quarter, the Suns hit their first four shots to extend the lead to 85-69. Boris Diaw-Riffiod hit a three-pointer, then House drained a trey from the right wing. After a Jim Jackson three-pointer off of a Diaw-Riffiod assist, House penetrated and connected on a mid-range jumper with 9:48 left.

House wasn’t finished, as he hit another three-pointer out of a Jazz timeout to increase the lead to 88-71 with 9:17 left.

From there Phoenix put the game on cruise control, milking the shot clock and taking care of the ball. The Jazz got no closer than the final margin, eight, late in the game.

After an uneventful opening quarter that saw Utah lead 19-18, the pace picked up in the second quarter. Phoenix started the period on an 18-9 spurt to open a 36-28 advantage. House hit bookend treys around a coast-to-coast lay-in with 5:54 left in the half.

Phoenix led 47-42 after a slow-paced opening half, in which Utah forced a half court game.