Feb

11

Stoudemire Hits Late Free Throws, Suns Give Wizards 7th Straight Loss 108-107

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under Main 

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Phoenix Suns forward/center Amare Stoudemire, rear, shoots over Washington Wizards center Brendan Haywood during the first quarter of their game, played Sunday night. Stoudemire scored 31 points, leading Phoenix to a 108-107 victory over Washington.

The Phoenix Suns have been successful ever since the trade of Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat for Shaquille O’Neal, going 2-1; but until Shaq actually plays, they will have to?”make do” with Amare Stoudemire – not that there’s anything wrong with that.? Stoudemire made himself a hero in the Suns’ fans eyes Sunday against the Washington Wizards; he made 2 free throws with 7.5 seconds left to push the Suns just past the Wizards 108-107 at US Airways Center.

The first half was back and forth as neither team could pull away; Phoenix managed?to hold onto a slim, 51-46 lead.? Both teams started the third period shooting well; Washington trailed 80-73 after Phoenix’s Raja Bell drained a 3-pointer with 2:48 left in the third quarter.? But the Wizards’ Roger Mason sank back-to-back treys?to put Washington ahead 81-80 with 53.3 seconds left in the 3rd, but Bell put the Suns on top again with a 3-pointer, then made a pair of free throws with 3.3 seconds left in the period as Phoenix went into the fourth quarter with a 85-81 edge.

Stoudemire’s steal and layup capped a 7-0 run for the Suns that gave them a 96-87 lead with 7:36 left to go; the Suns’ Steve Nash made a 3 to put them ahead 103-97, then his 2 free throws made it 105-99 with 30.7 ticks remaining.? Washington’s Antawn Jamison made a pair of free throws to reduce the Suns’ lead to 106-104 with 8.8 seconds remaining, but Phoenix’s Stoudemire would ice the game with a pair of free throws with 7.5 seconds left to go.

Phoenix’s high scorer was Stoudemire with 31 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists,? a steal and 4 blocked shots; Bell scored 21 with 4 rebounds, an assist and 3 blocked shots while Grant Hill and Boris Diaw added 13 each – with Hill and Diaw grabbing 4 boards each and dishing out 3 assists apiece.? Nash recorded a double-double with 10 ans a dozen assists.? Washington was led by Antawn Jamison with 28 points, 10 rebounds, an assist and a steal; Brendan Haywood scored 21 with 10 rebounds, 3 assists and a blocked shot.? Mason and DeShawn Stevenson chipped in with 18 each.? Phoenix (36-15) now travels to Oakland to face the Golden State Warriors Wednesday, while Washington (24-26) visits Oakland to face the Warriors, as well, but on Monday.


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