Stoudemire scores 49 as Suns beat Pacers 113-103

[November 06, 2008]  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Amare Stoudemire scored 49 points, falling a point short of his career high in the Phoenix Suns' 113-103 victory over Indiana on Wednesday night.

Stoudemire was 17-for-21 from the field, made 15 free throws without a miss and had 11 rebounds, six assists and five steals. He just missed his career high of 50 points, set against Portland on Jan. 2, 2005.

Boris Diaw added 14 points for the Suns (4-1).

T.J. Ford and Danny Granger each scored 23 points, and Marquis Daniels added 19 for the Pacers (1-2). Indiana beat defending NBA champion Boston on Saturday.

The Suns shot 56 percent from the field to easily recover from an 11-point deficit in the first quarter.

Stoudemire had 21 points in the opening period, shooting 8-for-8 from the field while the rest of the Suns went 3-for-10.

Down 38-27 after the first quarter, the Suns rallied in the second. Raja Bell's bank shot cut Indiana's lead to three at 62-59 with 41 seconds left in the first half.

Ford responded with a floater and, after Grant Hill was called for an offensive foul, Ford hit a jumper to give the Pacers a 66-59 lead at halftime. The Pacers made nine of 14 3-pointers in the first half.

The Suns took an 86-84 lead on Leandro Barbosa's 3-pointer. Hill's layup made it 88-84 and forced the Pacers to call timeout with 1:17 left in the third quarter. The Suns held the Pacers scoreless for the final 3:13 of the third quarter and led 90-84 at the end of the period. The Pacers shot just 27 percent in the period, while Phoenix shot 67 percent.

Phoenix took charge early in the fourth quarter. After taking a 98-88 lead on Hill's basket, the Suns never led by fewer than five points.

Notes: Phoenix C Shaquille O'Neal played only 12 minutes because of foul trouble and finished with three points and six rebounds. ... Indiana C Rasho Nesterovic (sprained right ankle) and G Mike Dunleavy (right knee) missed the game.

[Associated Press; By CLIFF BRUNT]

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