Suns overcome Nash's bad back to beat Thunder

[December 30, 2008]  OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal had 28 points and 12 rebounds, moving into ninth place on the NBA's career scoring list, and the Phoenix Suns overcame the loss of two-time MVP Steve Nash to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-102 on Monday night.

Nash played only 9 minutes before leaving with back spasms and Amare Stoudemire was hounded by foul trouble, but the Suns still had plenty of firepower to overwhelm the NBA-worst Thunder.

Jason Richardson scored 20 points and reserve Matt Barnes had 19 for Phoenix, which snapped a four-game road losing streak

Rookie Russell Westbrook scored a career-high 31 and Jeff Green 22 to lead Oklahoma City, which fizzled after a hot start.

Phoenix held Oklahoma City scoreless for the first 5 minutes of the fourth quarter and forced eight of the Thunder's 15 turnovers in the final period to put away the game.

The Suns dug themselves a double-digit hole, just like they did in their last visit to Oklahoma City, and this time Nash wasn't around to bail them out. Instead it was a pair of players who weren't on the floor for that trip: O'Neal, who was resting, and Richardson, who hadn't yet joined the team through a trade.

O'Neal had an easy time against the Thunder's undermanned front line, which is still hoping to add former New Jersey Nets 7-footer Nenad Krstic. Krstic signed an offer sheet last week with the Thunder, and time was running out for the Nets to match it.

In the meantime, O'Neal went 10-for-12 and passed Dominique Wilkins to move into ninth place on the NBA's career scoring list.

Stoudemire, who played only 7 minutes in the second half, had 14 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Grant Hill added 11 points and Leandro Barbosa, who replaced Nash, had 10 points and a career-high six steals.

Kevin Durant scored 18 points on 5-for-17 shooting, cooling off after making his first two shots in the Thunder's perfect start.

The Thunder made their first six shots of the game to rush out to a quick nine-point lead, and it was 23-13 after Westbrook matched his career high with a third 3-pointer in the first 6 minutes. Westbrook started out by connecting on his first six shots for 15 points.

Phoenix came right back and took its first lead on Barbosa's layup to start the second quarter, but Oklahoma City continued to play efficiently on offense and was up 53-46 after Green's 3-pointer from the right wing. At that point, with about 4 minutes left before halftime, the Thunder had only one turnover.

Phoenix forced three more during a 14-2 run to close the half and take the lead for good. Richardson capped a 15-6 run with a right-handed, 360-degree tomahawk jam to stretch the lead to 78-66.

Notes: Thunder F Joe Smith missed the game with a right leg injury, and F Nick Collison (broken left thumb) played only 5 minutes, picking up three fouls. ... G Dee Brown, who signed with Phoenix on Christmas Eve, and F Jared Dudley, who was acquired in the Richardson trade, scored their first points with the Suns on back-to-back possessions to start the fourth quarter. ... The Thunder had their sixth sellout of the season, and their second straight. ... Nash also left the Suns' 105-92 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 20 with back spasms.

[Associated Press; By JEFF LATZKE]

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