Phoenix Suns Team Report - March 4

(Basketball News) - Amare Stoudemire posted a game-high 32 points, leading his team in scoring for the 10th straight game and helping his Phoenix Suns to a 87-74 win over the Jason Kidd-less New Jersey Nets on Wednesday at America West Arena.

Joe Johnson added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Suns, who won for the third time in four contests. Shawn Marion chipped in with 12 points and nine boards and Jake Voskuhl notched a game-high 12 rebounds, as Phoenix triumphed over the Nets for the 10th straight time at home.

Stoudemire, who also added 11 rebounds, is now one game shy of the Phoenix record for consecutive games leading the team in scoring, a mark currently held by Charles Barkley.

The Suns led by just four points at the half, but used a strong third quarter to move ahead by 15 at 70-55. After scoring 37 points in the first half, the Suns scored 33 in the third quarter alone, grabbing control of the game.

Phoenix started the stanza on a 7-2 run, and in the waning minutes of the third used a 15-6 burst to help establish a lead as large as 21. New Jersey battled to get the Phoenix lead down to eight points in the fourth, making it 73-65 when Jason Collins hit a free throw with 7:37 to play.

But working to get that close took the steam out of the Nets, and the Suns scored nine of the next 11 points to make it a 15-point game with just over three minutes to play, securing the victory.

Stoudemire has scored 20 or more points in 10 straight contests. He has averaged 26.6 points and 9.5 rebounds in that span.

The Suns are off until Saturday when they host the San Antonio Spurs. Phoenix is 0-2 against the Spurs this season, as it has lost once at home and once on the road.