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 The Hornets improved to 3-0 against the Suns this season, with two of the victories in Phoenix.
Chris Paul had 42 points, one off his career high, and a career-best eight steals, but scored only two points after regulation for New Orleans. Jannero Pargo scored 12 of his 22 points in the two overtimes. Stojakovic added 26 points and David West 21 and 13 rebounds for the Hornets, who were without Tyson Chandler because of the flu.
Amare Stoudemire had 26 points and a season-best 20 rebounds for Phoenix. Steve Nash had 32 points and 12 assists, but committed 10 of the Suns' 20 turnovers. Boris Diaw, starting in place of the departed Shawn Marion, scored a season-high 22. Leandro Barbosa also scored 22, including 4-of-5 on 3-pointers. Nash was 5-of-9 on 3s.
The Suns forced the second overtime with dramatic 3-pointers by Barbosa and Nash. They almost did it again when Barbosa made a 3 to tie it at 130 with 3.2 seconds left in the second OT.
But after a time out, the Hornets got the ball to the sharpshooting Stojakovic, whose smooth jumper ended it, snapping New Orleans' three-game losing streak.
The thriller came at the end of a monumental day for the Suns franchise. They acquired Shaquille O'Neal in a trade that sent Marion and Marcus Banks to Miami. O'Neal watched from a suite at US Airways Center.
When he was introduced on the big screen to a loud standing ovation, he smiled, stood up and pointed to his championship ring, then gave a thumbs up. The crowd went crazy.
The Suns sank two 3-pointers in the final 11.6 seconds of the first overtime. The first, by Barbosa, cut New Orleans' lead to 122-121. After Pargo made the third and fourth of his six consecutive free throws, Nash broke free for an open 3 that tied it at 124 with 8.2 seconds to play.
Paul missed a jumper under tight defense and the game went to the second OT.
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Nash's 3-pointer from the top of the key put Phoenix ahead 109-106 with 1:02 left in the fourth, but Paul converted a three-point play to tie it again at 109, 51.2 seconds from the end of regulation.
Nash and Stojakovic traded mid-range jumpers and it was 111-111. Nash turned it over on a double-team but Paul missed a jumper and the game went to overtime.
The Hornets used a 13-2 run to take a 61-52 lead on David West's two free throws with 40.7 seconds left in the first half. Paul scored nine straight points during the surge.
Barbosa made 3-pointer, then West sank a 7-footer and New Orleans led 63-55 at the break.
Phoenix came back to go up 78-75 on a 9-2 spurt capped by Nash's 3-pointer with 1:30 to go in the third quarter, but the Hornets came back with a 10-2 run to go up 85-80 on Paul's 19-footer with 1:14 left. Another basket by Paul gave New Orleans an 87-82 lead after three.
Notes: The Suns will be looking to add another player in the next few weeks, general manager Steve Kerr said. ... Nash had five assists in the third quarter. ... The Hornets' 132 points were the most by a Suns opponent this season. ... Nash moved into 19th on the NBA career assists list with 6,455. ... The three-game losing streak tied New Orleans' longest of the season.
[Associated Press; By BOB BAUM]
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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