RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
PHOENIX (AP) -- Look for the Phoenix Suns to come with a lot of
energy and effort Saturday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Coach Scott Skiles promised to do away with his team's slow
starts after the last one led to a scary finish before Phoenix beat
the Golden State Warriors 80-74 Friday night.
"We weren't playing hard and didn't want to win the game,"
Skiles said. "Then we decided we did want to win. You are living
on the edge when you do that. If it looks like you should win the
game on paper, you should come out and act like it."
Jason Kidd, who came to the rescue in the fourth quarter, also
was looking for answers.
"We were lucky not to be down any more than we were," said
Kidd, who had 18 points and 13 assists. "We have to eliminate
that, but the good thing is we got a run going and came back."
Kidd made six free throws in the final 27.8 seconds, going to
the line for the last time with 5.3 seconds to go after getting a
rebound when Golden State's Larry Hughes missed a 3-point attempt.
Shawn Marion had 19 points and 16 rebounds, and Cliff Robinson
had seven of his 13 points in the fourth quarter when the Suns
completed their comeback from an 11-point halftime deficit for
their 11th straight win over the Warriors in Phoenix.
Hughes had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Warriors. Antawn
Jamison scored 17 points and Bob Sura 16.
"We had them down and didn't keep 'em down," Hughes said.
"They made a run, and we still held them off with a four- or
five-point lead, but it was big when they tied it up going into the
fourth quarter."
Kidd dished off to Tony Delk for a layup that earned the Suns a
57-55 lead -- their first since the first minute of the game -- 28
seconds into the fourth quarter, and made a foul shot at the 10:37
mark.
After Golden State regained the lead, Kidd assisted on a
three-point play and a layup by Robinson, and Daniel Santiago
dunked for a 65-59 Phoenix lead 4:59 into the final quarter. The
Suns turned back another surge when Robinson banked in a runner and
Santiago had another dunk that made it 71-65 with 3:13 to go.
"You hate to lose those, but it was a good game," coach Dave
Cowens said. "We had a hard time making a shot there for a while.
We got wide-open shots, and we couldn't make them. Then we
hesitated to shoot when we were open."
Phoenix began the third quarter trailing by 43-32, but got
within 49-47 on a free throw by Marion with 4:41 to play.
After a layup by Hughes and two free throws by Jamison, the Suns
had to play catch-up again, and got there -- a 53-53 tie with 1:08
remaining -- on a 6-foot runner by Marion, a 20-footer by Santiago
and a baseline jumper by Kidd, who was only 4-of-14 from the field.
Mookie Blaylock connected from the top of the key, and Tom
Gugliotta answered with two free throws, and the teams began the
fourth quarter even at 55.
The Warriors, who led by as much as seven points in the first
quarter, took a 41-29 lead with 53 seconds left in the half after a
layup by Jamison and a 3-pointer by Hughes, who got the ball from
Jamison.
Kidd matched the 3-pointer, but Hughes had a tip-in with 4.3
seconds to go.
"We were struggling, but we pulled it off," Marion said.
"That's all that matters."
Game
notes
The Warriors beat the Suns 96-94 in the season opener for
both teams. Phoenix then won its next seven games. ... Blaylock
played 23 minutes after missing two games with the flu. He did not
travel with the team, but caught a flight to Phoenix earlier
Saturday. ... Phoenix is 8-1 at home. ... The Warriors outrebounded
Phoenix 55-44 in their first game, when Danny Fortson, now on the
injured list, had 18, but the Suns had a 55-50 advantage this time.
... Golden State has played six of seven games on the road, losing
the last three.
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NBA Scoreboard
Golden State Clubhouse
Phoenix Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 76
Atlanta 67
Boston 103
Orlando 98
Cleveland 85
Miami 80
Detroit 118
Vancouver 96
Indiana 99
Washington 87
Charlotte 106
Milwaukee 90
Denver 102
San Antonio 92
Phoenix 80
Golden State 74
Utah 97
New Jersey 85
Seattle 98
LA Clippers 81
LA Lakers 115
Minnesota 108
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