Nash leads Suns over Nets

By The Associated Press     Nov 6, 2004

? The Phoenix Suns certainly aren’t playing like a team getting used to a new point guard.

Steve Nash had 17 points and eight assists, and the Phoenix Suns rode 57.4-percent shooting to their third straight double-digit victory, 112-80 Saturday night over the New Jersey Nets.

The 3-0 start is the best for the Suns since they went 5-0 to begin the 1984-85 season.

“We’re playing hard and really trying to work on our defense,” said Nash, who was signed as a free agent after six years in Dallas. “We’re sharing the ball offensively and we’ve got a lot of firepower.”

Amare Stoudemire added 22 points, Joe Johnson had 18 and Shawn Marion 13 for Phoenix, which came into the game averaging an NBA-best 110 points.

“We’re pleased with where we are,” Phoenix coach Mike D’Antoni said. “How we are playing is the biggest thing, and the chemistry. We’re going to have to get a lot better. There will be some rough spots but we are going to ride this as long as we can.”

Three games into the season, the Nets (1-2) are just trying to hang on until All-Star point guard Jason Kidd returns from offseason knee surgery. There is no timetable for his return at this point, which leaves New Jersey with little talent.

Despite two early fouls, Richard Jefferson had 24 points to lead the Nets, who once again disappointed a good home crowd.

Alonzo Mourning was the only other New Jersey player who looked as if he belonged on the floor. He added 12 points and seven rebounds.

“We got our (butts) kicked,” Mourning said. “We didn’t guard. We got beat by damn near 40 points. When that happens, you’re not guarding anybody. Collectively, one through 12, including myself, we didn’t guard anybody.”

The Suns used big second quarters in building big leads over Atlanta and Philadelphia in their first two games. They followed the same formula against the Nets, outscoring them 32-20 to take a 57-41 lead.

The Phoenix bench played a key part in the victory, igniting an 18-3 spurt that spanned the end of the first quarter and the start of the second.

Maciej Lampe hit four jumpers in the run. Steven Hunter added four points and Casey Jacobsen made a jumper to push the lead to 39-23.

Nash, 6-of-8 from the field, hit all three of his shots and added five assists in the quarter. He also had six of the Suns’ 12 turnovers.

“It’s fun when you feel good and you’re making your shots,” Nash said. “I threw the ball away and I’m still getting to know this team. I’m still getting my feet under me but this is a good group to play with.”

New Jersey made a brief run in the third period, closing to 68-57 on a three-point play by Ron Mercer.

But Stoudemire sandwiched two jumpers around a baseline runner by Marion and the Suns were never threatened again.

Coupled with their 100-77 opening night loss to Miami, the Nets have beaten by an average of 27.5 points in their two home games. New Jersey has given up at least 100 points in all three of its games.

“We have to have pride defending our home court,” Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. “This is the second straight team that has come in here and clearly outplayed us.”

Notes: The Suns are now 2-0 on the road after winning 11 away from home last season. The win snapped a four-game losing streak at the Continental Airlines Arena. … Mourning got an unsportsmanlike conduct technical for hanging on the rim after a dunk. …The biggest reaction of the game came when Yuta Tabuse entered the game with about three minutes to play. The NBA’s first Japanese player had two assists and two rebounds.

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