Amare Makes 20-20 Club As Suns Squeeze By Jazz 106-104

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Game Recap

Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire recorded a double-double, and paid his first visit this season to the Association’s most exclusive fraternity, the “20-20 Club” leading the Suns past the Utah Jazz Saturday night 106-104. Stoudemire scored 22 points, and grabbed 20 boards, while Leandro Barbosa led the team with 25 points off the bench. Both teams left everything on the court in this contest, as the lead changed hands 16 times, and the two opponents were tied 17 times.

It is not a common occurrence in an NBA game for the two teams to be dead locked at the end of the first three quarters, but that is what the fans at the US Airways Arena saw Saturday. Phoenix would pull ahead and Utah would be right there beside them at the end of the period. The Suns took the early lead in the first, then the momentum swung Utah’s way as the period progressed. At the end of the quarter however, the two teams were tied at 26-26. Phoenix pulled ahead during the second, Stoudemire hit a short-range jumper with 4:35 left in the period putting his club up 45-36. Utah would erase the deficit and as the two teams went to the locker rooms at the half the score was 50-50.

Leandro Barbosa drove the lane putting the ball through the cylinder with 1:42 left in the third, giving Phoenix a 76-71 lead. Andre Kirilenko slammed the ball with authority with 32 seconds remaining and the two teams would head into the final 12 minutes of play with the score knotted up at 78-78. Stoudemire hit an outside shot with 6:01 remaining in regulation to give the Suns a 92-86 advantage. Utah was not finished yet with 2:55 left, C.J. Miles drained a 26 foot trey tying the score at 97-97. Phoenix would take the lead for good with 1:54 to play when Boris Diaw split a pair at the line, putting the Suns on top to stay 100-99.

Leandro Barbosa led all players as he scored 25 points, 3 steals, and 1 rebound, in the Phoenix victory. Amare Stoudemire was huge with 22 points, 20 boards, and 2 assists, while Shaquille O’Neal also recorded a double-double, 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 assist. Matt Barnes came up big off the bench as he had 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, Steve Nash just missed a double-double, as he added 12 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal. Boris Diaw also chipped in with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal.

Paul Milsap recorded a double-double, as the forward had 20 points, 12 boards, 3 steals, 2 blocks, and 1 assist; while C.J. Miles alo had 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Andrei Kirilenko came off the pine and put in 17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist, 1 block, Deron Williams looked in mid-season form as he was credited with a double-double, 15 points, he dished off 15 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal. Mehmet Okur would be third Utah player with a double-double, 12 points, 13 rebounds, and 1 assist. Phoenix with the win is 12-9, Utah has a record of 13-9.

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