Suns slow to shine in daytime, beat Wizards 102-90

By JOSEPH WHITE, AP Sports Writer Nov 8, 11:32 pm EST

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WASHINGTON (AP)—The Phoenix Suns came out in the daytime for the first time this season, on a Sunday afternoon on the East Coast.

And they proceeded to commit 16 first-half turnovers.

The Suns settled down, giving the ball away only five times in the second half, and beat the Washington Wizards 102-90 to improve to 6-1, matching the best seven-game start in franchise history.

“We just weren’t really fresh today,” point guard Steve Nash(notes) said. “Maybe it was the first day game of the season. We really didn’t have a great bounce to us, we didn’t really push the ball, we weren’t really aggressive to start. That was the difference.

“We had some chances to be up 15 or 20. We just didn’t really have energy to us today, but mentally we were tough and stuck with it at times and got it done.”

Except for the 21 turnovers, the final score sheet looked fine. Four of the five starters had double-doubles. The only one who didn’t, Jason Richardson(notes), led the scoring with 22 points.

Channing Frye(notes) had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Amare Stoudemire added 17 and 12, and Grant Hill(notes) had 13 and 13. Nash finished with 11 points and 17 assists, and the Suns had twice as many assists (30-15) as the Wizards.

“We try to make very simple plays, and then we’ll take what the defense gives us,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “I thought we started trying to be a little bit too creative, and that’s not really who we are.”

The Suns never trailed in the second half as they beat the Wizards for the sixth straight time, including five in a row at the Verizon Center. Phoenix wraps up a five-game trip Monday at Philadelphia.

“The minute we start to say we’re a certain caliber team, there’s a danger,” Nash said. “We just got to keep being humble, keep treating this as a project. It’s going to take the whole season.”

Turnovers, assists and the early start time were also on the minds of the Wizards. They’ve lost four straight, with turnovers either equaling or outnumbering assists in all four games.

Andray Blatche(notes) and Gilbert Arenas(notes) scored 20 points apiece, but Blatche ran out of gas in the fourth quarter, while Arenas was only 7 for 22 from the field and had four of the team’s 17 turnovers. Caron Butler(notes) had 19 points, and Randy Foye(notes) 16.

“We’re used to keeping pace with a team like that,” Arenas said. “It was a one o’clock game. It was different.”

The Wizards, playing without injured starters Antawn Jamison(notes) and Mike Miller(notes), shot only 39 percent from the field.

“It’s been a never-ending thing here lately,” coach Flip Saunders said. “We’re struggling offensively, and that’s putting a lot of undue pressure on the defense.

“We’re just not there. We don’t make that one extra pass. We’re taking too many contested shots. If we were a hockey team, we’d have no hockey assists— you know, the pass that leads to the pass.”

It didn’t help that Blatche, the team’s co-leading scorer, was on the bench for the final 4:34 of the game.

“He was dead tired,” Saunders said. “He can’t even run up and down the court. He had four straight mental mistakes. Andray can’t play the major minutes.”

Frye’s 3-pointer gave the Suns an 89-75 lead early in the fourth quarter, but the Wizards responded with an 8-0 run that included a pair of layups by Blatche. Brendan Haywood(notes) had a chance to cut the lead to four with about 6 minutes to play, but he missed two free throws, swinging the momentum back to Phoenix.

The Suns scored the next seven points, highlighted by Nash’s pass that bounced between Blatche’s legs and found Stoudemire for a driving dunk. The Wizards didn’t get back within double digits until the final minute.

NOTES: Phoenix G Leandro Barbosa(notes) returned after missing three games with a sore right wrist. … Wizards G DeShawn Stevenson(notes) scored his 5,000th point in the first quarter. … Hill had his fourth double-double of the season; he had five all last season. … Washington last defeated Phoenix on Dec. 22. 2006. … Arenas has kept his gestures to a minimum this season, so it was intriguing to see him turn his palms up and shuffle them sideways after making a jumper in the first quarter. Any significance to that? “No,” he said. “I was just trying to find a rhythm to the game.” … Suns coach Alvin Gentry needed 20 tickets for family members who live in the area. “We got more cousins than the Hatfields,” he said.

Updated Nov 8, 11:32 pm EST
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52 Comments

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  1. readytofight50
    52. Posted by readytofight50 Tue Nov 10 6:28am EST

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    To 27 I agree with most of what u said about shaw and porter, but I gotta ask, u say that good offense beats good defense. Maybe in the regular season, but in the post season, defense always prevails. Orlando and Cleveland both had great offense, but Orlando had good d too. Two years ago, celtics had the beat d, they won. Last year, lakers best d they win. Suns need some defense, then they would be unstoppable.
  2. Jose
    51. Posted by Jose Mon Nov 9 4:53pm EST

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    mark ur mathafakin calendars yo!!! 11/12/2009. Lakers (6-1) vs. Phoenix (6-1) holla!!!!
  3. Louie
    50. Posted by Louie Mon Nov 9 4:18pm EST

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    Go Suns! The BIG CACTUS is gone. He's now "No BLING for the KING".
  4. <i>westsimeon</i>
    49. Posted by westsimeon Mon Nov 9 2:43pm EST

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    the suns are on a good start but they still cant mess with the lakers! thats a fact! and to all them ppl saying kobe cant beat lequeen they dont know b-ball! cuz lequeen even said he gets his game 4rm kobe! kobe haters get a life! and plus carmelo is the second best player in the league behind kobe not lequeen!
  5. jonathan p
    48. Posted by jonathan p Mon Nov 9 2:17pm EST

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    mas magaling lakers dito....panis ang suns.....go lakers.......
  6. Jose
    47. Posted by Jose Mon Nov 9 1:00pm EST

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    shaq was holding them back.
  7. <i>adrian_coria787</i>
    46. Posted by adrian_coria787 Mon Nov 9 12:42pm EST

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    as i phoenix fan, i wasnt expecting such a great start from them, if they keep playing at such a high level lakers aint gonna have it easy this season
  8. DAWG
    45. Posted by DAWG Mon Nov 9 10:12am EST

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    A much needed great start for the Suns, but Next month schedule is Murders ROW , with most games on the road, Lakers twice , Clevland x2, NO x2, Dallas x2 Spurs x2 Boston, Orl, Mia. Portland, Tor x2. Denverx2. If they come out of that still in the 3-4th spot in the west. The Last 2 months schedule is in there favor to make a huge run into the Playoffs@ a 2-3 seed in the west. Bench needs to keep getting better & with Lopez getting healthy he can provide more D in ther Middle. Also need to get more Minutes from the bench esecaily when They play inferior Teams. Suns Fans lets stay humble Like Nash says, and hang in there through this next month & 1/2. If where right there in the top of Things at the end of this 09 year watch out for a couple of 8 + win streaks in the final 2 months and a good run in the Playoffs to meet the Lakers in the Conf Finals. If you Dont Believe check out there schedule.

    GO SUNS
  9. <i>nicholass.savage45</i>
    44. Posted by nicholass.savage45 Mon Nov 9 9:37am EST

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    Only problem with the Suns roster over the past 7-8 yrs. is that the front office is too "trade happy". They bring in superb talent only to ship them right back out . Case in point joe johnson, eddie house, shaquille and others. They are always competitive with the best of the west. The only reason they haven't gotten to the ring ceremony is that they refuse to play defense. Everybody knows this, including the Suns. There just flat out committed to not doing it. Now I love watching Sun's basketball, but until they stop playing soft defensively, it won't matter who they suit up. Sad to say, come late May and June, the Lakers, Nuggets or Spurs will smack'em in the face like they always do. Oh, if they really want to change the culture there, it wouldn't hurt to hire an Avery Johnson.
  10. Steven
    43. Posted by Steven Mon Nov 9 9:29am EST

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    barrack is very disappointed on you wizards
  11. BrOncoz
    42. Posted by BrOncoz Mon Nov 9 8:57am EST

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    Nash is playin like a MVP
    and stoudamire is finally showin up after his dissapointing year
  12. k.gotti
    41. Posted by k.gotti Mon Nov 9 2:32am EST

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    lol look at the Suns fans tryna jump on the bandwagon cuz the team are 6-1
  13. jung
    40. Posted by jung Mon Nov 9 2:19am EST

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    Like many people here, I'm surprised how good the Suns are this year compared to last year.
  14. gmandog
    39. Posted by gmandog Mon Nov 9 1:16am EST

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    The difference between last year and this year's suns. ONly the addition of Channing Frye. Channing brings more speed at the center position and yet he can rebound and still step out and hit the 3 pointer. He's playing in his hometown and he's always been a team first guy. He had 4 years under Lute and has always been an "aw shucks" type of guy.
  15. Charles C
    38. Posted by Charles C Sun Nov 8 10:20pm EST

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    cant agree with 35 more

    Nash for MVP!
    go SUNS!
  16. none
    37. Posted by none Sun Nov 8 10:19pm EST

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    I'm from Phx and I am surprised the Suns have started so well. But, we have to remember that they've played about 8 games!! It's irrelevant at this point fans!! As far as people questioning if Nash's legacy as a player needs re-evaluated, they are out of their minds!! He's at the tail end of his career and he's still in the top 5% of point guards!! That's a testament to his natural abilities, and his hard work staying in peak physical condition.

    But, the Suns still have a lot of teams in the West to contend with, and I'm afraid they won't crack the top three at the end of the year. I think the Lakers, Dallas, Utah, San Antonio and Denver may have an edge on them. The Rockets can go either way, it's hard to tell without McGrady and Yao. The Hornets will be too inconsistent.
  17. Ephraim
    36. Posted by Ephraim Sun Nov 8 9:54pm EST

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    No. 34.........am very much agree with you men!!!
  18. <i>eldersimon_a143</i>
    35. Posted by eldersimon_a143 Sun Nov 8 9:00pm EST

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    he will win 3rd mvp this season steve nash 13
  19. onyokniwilly
    34. Posted by onyokniwilly Sun Nov 8 9:00pm EST

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    The most humble player and the most discipline player to play the NBA ever is Grant Hill... He has the true heart of an athlete.. 3 surgery that could have ended his career.. Men this guy is superman! he already has 4 double-double in the season.. Hill is the leading rebounder for the suns so far.. he still got it.. Honestly the SUNS are not as deep as any team in west.. not a chance if you look the roster.. But by the way they played, Nash finding the right man on the court, Richardson doing the offense and Hill doing a very good game. Amare has a lot of help at the starting player.. Impressive season start hope they make the playoffs. Thats my couple of penny for the suns..
  20. tony s
    33. Posted by tony s Sun Nov 8 8:54pm EST

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    Suns are playing great. steve nash must be satin. the guy plays like a young man. i can't stand the way he "never" say's that he had a bad game or that he wasn't up to speed. it's always, the team or someone else, never him. arrogant. if the suns do keep wining & get the best record this season, all they would be doing is building up their players value. then steve kerr will get more out of the trades he will make. unless he gets hurt, amare is gone this season.
    still a great start this year & even if they get the best record i do not consider them a title contender. history has shown that come post season, every top team steps it up, especially on defense & the suns lose. same style as all the other years, it'll be the same finish.
  21. Admiral Cowpollock
    32. Posted by Admiral Cowpollock Sun Nov 8 8:27pm EST

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    Andray Blatche? Sits the final 4:30. Does he have a fantasy future or just toast when Jamison returns?Would you drop him for Diaw?
  22. JUICEMAN
    31. Posted by JUICEMAN Sun Nov 8 8:18pm EST

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    The Suns are just that good...
  23. rebel
    30. Posted by rebel Sun Nov 8 8:09pm EST

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    Buster, don't be ridiculous, Nash is truly a great, Bowen is awesome too as is Parker. SUNS will go all the way in the West and go from there. Spurs, please... They had the Suns number but after the SUNS beatdown boston and will beat down Lakers we'll see who is laughing then.

    And Kobe is a p&*ck. Will never beat Jordon, not even beat Lebron
  24. King Jerry
    29. Posted by King Jerry Sun Nov 8 7:35pm EST

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    if you guys remember the suns had the best win record in the nba before they traded for shaq the following year . look it up. thats why it shouldnt be a surprise for a true suns fan that they are doing good without shaq
  25. John F
    28. Posted by John F Sun Nov 8 7:28pm EST

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    Does anybody still wanna question or doubt Steve Nash's age????

    He's 99.9% better than all the other guards of the NBA!!!!!

    He's a 2-time MVP for nothing, an All-Time Great, and one of the BEST ever to play the game of basketball!!!

    So to all his haters.....SHUT-UP!!!!!!!!
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Phoenix
S. Nash Steve Nash
4-9,  11 Pts
3 Rebs, 17 Assists
 Washington
A. Blatche Andray Blatche
9-15,  20 Pts
5 Rebs, 1 Assists

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