|
PHOENIX, Arizona: Leandro Barbosa scored 29 points
and the Phoenix Suns shot 65 percent from the field in a 126-104
thrashing of the league-leading Dallas, who had their nine-game
winning streak snapped.
Amare Stoudemire scored 24
points and Steve Nash added 23 and 11 assists for the Suns (55-18),
who gained a split of the season series as they became the only team
to beat the Mavericks (61-12) twice this season.
In perhaps the best game of the
National Basketball Association campaign, Phoenix scored a thrilling
129-127 double-overtime victory at Dallas on March 14 that saw both
teams erase seemingly insurmountable late deficits.
Headed for another high-scoring
affair on Sunday, the Suns used a 10-2 run capped by Barbosa’s
three-pointer to open a 79-71 lead with 4:02 left in the third
quarter.
The Mavericks, who still have an
outside shot at 70 wins, closed to 93-88 on a jumper by Devin Harris
with 9:39 to play.
But Boris Diaw flipped in a
basket and Barbosa hit another 3-pointer to double the lead.
Less than a minute later, Dallas
superstar Dirk Nowitzki twisted his ankle as he missed a jumper and
took a seat on the bench.
Phoenix pulled away as its
offense looked unstoppable down the stretch.
Barbosa made 10-of-17 shots,
including 4-of-7 from the arc.
Stoudemire was 10-of-13 from the
floor, Nash 7-of-11 and Shawn Marion 8-of-10 for 20 points.
In all, Phoenix made 46-of-71
shots, including 12-of-21 three-pointers.
The Suns realistically cannot
catch the Mavericks for the NBA’s best record, trailing by six
games with nine to play. They were 2 1/2 games behind after their
win last month.
|
