Steve Nash played only 27 minutes, but had a career-high 13 rebounds to go with 12 points and 12 assists.
And to make the night even better for Nash, they defeated the Sixers by a final score of 116-87 to clinch the Pacific Division.
``Given the fact that we won 29 games last year and nobody picked us to be division champ or a playoff team necessarily, it's a great accomplishment,'' Nash said. ``I think we've raised the bar, and having said that, it's not enough."
``They're as good of an offensive basketball team as there is in the NBA,'' Sixers coach Jim O'Brien said. ``We did not have what it took to stay in front of them (or) keep them out of the middle. And, as a result, we let loose their 3-ball.''
The Suns again played without Amare Stoudemire but didn't miss a beat.
Via Yahoo!
Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers
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The Phoenix Suns, a team considered by many to lack any kind of depth, were forced to take on the NBA’s hottest team minus one Amare Stoudemire. That is 26 points per game out with an ankle injury, nearly 25 percent of the Suns scoring sitting helpless in street clothes, forced to watch his Suns take on a Denver Nuggets team that is 21-5 under new coach George Karl.
So how did it all end?
The Suns held on to beat the Nuggets 123-114 behind the 30 points and 14 rebounds of super-athlete Shawn Marion. The seldom used Steven Hunter stepped in for Stoudemire to score 14 points on 6-7 shooting, most of his buckets coming off of vintage Steve Nash dimes (Mr. Nash finished with 23 points and 12 assists).
Via Hunter Johannason/RealGM
Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets
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Orlando Magic guard Steve Francis will return to the lineup tonight for an important game versus the Phoenix Suns. A win tonight could bring the Magic out of their slump and help them get back in the playoff race. Francis was suspended by the league for 3-days after kicking a photographer in Seattle.
"I'm an emotional player," he said Friday. "I wear my emotions on my sleeve. For the most part, it's helped me out.
"Ninety-five percent of the time, it's helped me more than it's hurt me. So I'll take 95-to-5 with anything."
He paused. Francis knows that what makes him a fierce competitor also works against him, turning his strength into his weakness. "Sometimes, it gets you in trouble," he said.
Via Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns
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Suns Mar 2005 Archive
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The Arizona Republic | Mar 25, 2005
Arguably two of the most exciting teams in the NBA, the #1 team in the West, the Phoenix Suns and he #1 team in the East, the Miami Heat, are set to square off against each other tonight in a possible NBA championship preview.
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Yahoo! | Mar 23, 2005
Amare Stoudemire and the Phoenix Suns reached the 50-point plateau, becoming just the ninth team to win at least 50 games after losing at least 50.
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Arizona Republic | Mar 21, 2005
It came so quickly, nobody knew quite what to say.
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RealGM | Mar 20, 2005
Just two days after an embarassing loss at home versus the Warriors, the Suns bounced back on the road at Memphis, beating the Grizzlies 97-91.
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Yahoo! | Mar 19, 2005
Baron Davis scored 33 points, as the Warriors defeated the Phoenix Suns by double-figures on the road.
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FoxSports.com | Mar 15, 2005
Carmelo Anthony spent the last 17:45 of the Nuggets 106-101 loss to the Suns Sunday on the bench, however both Coach George Karl and Anthony are downplaying the whole event.
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The Denver Post | Mar 14, 2005
The surprise Suns are full of players having career years, and Joe Johnson is no exception.
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The Denver Post | Mar 14, 2005
Marcus Camby is back on the bench again due to his latest injury, a strained right hamstring suffered during the final minute of the Nuggets’ victory versus the Spurs last Saturday.
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Yahoo! | Mar 14, 2005
Steve Nash made another argument for why he should be MVP when he took over the game in the last 7 minutes Sunday night, scoring 10 of his 25 points over that span to help Phoenix snap Denver's eight-game winning streak with a 106-101 victory.
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RealGM/Jason Linnard | Mar 12, 2005
Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady combined for 65 points as the Rockets beat the Suns 127-107.
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Yahoo! | Mar 11, 2005
Shawn Marion, the Phoenix Suns' leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, missed his first game of the season Friday night against the Houston Rockets because of a contusion to his left knee.
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ESPN | Mar 10, 2005
It wasn't a true test for the Phoenix Suns since they faced a Spurs squad missing two of their best players.
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RealGM | Mar 8, 2005
The Phoenix Suns are at the top of RealGM's Team Rankings list, with the San Antonio Spurs trailing close behind.
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Hunter Johannason/RealGM | Mar 7, 2005
The highly anticipated match-up between Phoenix and Seattle, two of the best teams in the league did not disappoint.
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Hunter Johannason/RealGM | Mar 4, 2005
The Suns defeated the Pistons on Thursday 100-97. In another possible Finals preview, Detroit travels to Seattle on Friday.
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East Valley Tribune | Mar 2, 2005
Steve Nash has missed the last three games with a sore left hamstring, but he expects to play on Thursday versus the defending champion Pistons.
