Nash's 22 lead Suns by Bobcats 112-102

By: JournalNow Staff | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: February 25, 2009

PHOENIX

Steve Nash scored 22 points despite leaving with an ankle injury and the Phoenix Suns beat the Charlotte Bobcats 112-102 last night, spoiling the return of Boris Diaw and Raja Bell to US Airways Center.

This was the first time Diaw and Bell had returned to Phoenix since being traded to Charlotte two months ago. They combined to almost upset the Suns.

Diaw finished with a season-high 27 points, along with nine rebounds and six assists. Bell scored 23 with three rebounds and three assists.

But the Suns had more balanced scoring. Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Jason Richardson, who came to Phoenix in the deal with Charlotte, also had 20 points. Leandro Barbosa scored 17 and Matt Barnes 14.

Phoenix got a big scare when Nash made a 3-pointer with 4:07 remaining in the third. He hobbled off the court with what appeared to be an ailing right ankle. But he returned early in the fourth period and quickly hit a 3. Nash played two more minutes, then came out again.

Raymond Felton had 14 points and Gerald Wallace 13 for Charlotte.

The loss was the Bobcats' seventh in a row away from home. They have dropped nine of 10 against the Suns in their all-time series.

Bell got the Bobcats off to a quick start, hitting his first four field-goal attempts, as Charlotte built a 20-15 lead midway through the first period. The Suns then went on a 26-9 run bridging the first and second quarters and assumed a 41-29 lead early in the second.

They increased it to 51-37 with a barrage of 3-pointers, capped by a long-range shot by Nash. Phoenix still led by 11 with 57 seconds left in the half.

CHARLOTTE -- Wallace 4-8 4-6 13, Diaw 10-12 6-8 27, Okafor 2-9 4-8 8, Felton 7-15 0-0 14, Bell 9-14 2-3 23, Radmanovic 3-9 0-0 8, Augustin 1-5 2-2 4, Martin 2-6 0-0 5, Howard 0-1 0-0 0, Diop 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 38-81 18-27 102.

PHOENIX -- Richardson 6-10 6-6 20, Hill 3-10 0-0 6, O'Neal 7-12 6-7 20, Nash 8-10 2-2 22, Barbosa 7-15 2-2 17, Dudley 0-3 2-2 2, Amundson 2-3 0-0 4, Barnes 5-10 2-2 14, Dragic 1-2 3-4 5, Lopez 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 40-76 23-25 112.

Charlotte 27 28 29 18 -- 102
Phoenix 29 30 35 18 -- 112

3-Point Goals--Charlotte 8-18 (Bell 3-5, Radmanovic 2-5, Diaw 1-1, Wallace 1-2, Martin 1-3, Augustin 0-1, Felton 0-1), Phoenix 9-19 (Nash 4-4, Richardson 2-5, Barnes 2-5, Barbosa 1-4, Dudley 0-1). Fouled Out--Wallace, Richardson. Rebounds--Charlotte 46 (Diaw 10), Phoenix 44 (O'Neal 11). A--18,422 .