Nash, Suns shine over Pacers

Amare Stoudemire had a monster game, with 23 points and 18 rebounds, and Shawn Marion scored 22 points for the Suns, who won their fifth straight.

Jermaine O’Neal finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and six blocked shots, but couldn’t prevent the third straight loss for the Pacers. Darrell Armstrong scored 17 points for Indiana, and Mike Dunleavy added 16 points.

Raja Bell opened the fourth quarter with a three and a layup, pulling the Suns to within 79-78, and capping a 19-2 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters, all but erasing an 18-point Pacers lead.

Indiana still held an 88-85 lead with 6:35 left, but Nash powered a 10-0 run with eight straight points, and his three with 4:43 left posted the Suns to a 95-88 lead.

The Pacers had no answers on the offensive end, and were outscored 18-4 to close the game.

Indiana appeared to be heading to an impressive blowout win with a hot start to the third quarter. Ahead 57-55, the Pacers rolled off 10 straight points, taking a 67-55 lead after a Dunleavy trey with 7:45 left. The 10-0 run was part of a 20-4 stretch, and the Pacers lead bulged at 77-59 with 4:57 left.

Indiana’s 18-point lead was short-lived, though, as Stoudemire scored eight points down the stretch to power a 14-2 Suns run, and Phoenix pulled to within 79-73 entering the final 12 minutes.

The teams were tied at 19 after one quarter, and O’Neal, who scored 18 points in the first half, scored the last six Pacers points to give Indiana a 50-49 lead at the break.

Game Notes

Phoenix improved to 14-0 on the road versus East this season...Indiana’s Jamaal Tinsley sat with a sore leg...The two teams meet again Friday night in Phoenix.