Recap: Sacramento vs. Phoenix
Sports Network | November 14, 2008
Sacramento, CA (Sports Network) - Amare Stoudemire hit the game-winning jumper with 4.5 seconds left in overtime and blocked the final shot attempt, and Shaquille O'Neal recorded 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Sacramento Kings, 97-95.
The Suns were without Steve Nash and Matt Barnes, who were both suspended after an altercation in Wednesday's loss to the Houston Rockets. Suns guard Leandro Barbosa also missed the game, as he returned to his native Brazil following the passing of his mother, Ivete.
Grant Hill got over 45 minutes of playing time in their absence and contributed 22 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who have won three of four. Raja Bell had 14 points, and Stoudemire scored six points in the extra session as part of his 12-point night.
John Salmons paced the Kings with 21 points, while Beno Udrih scored 18 points for Sacramento, which had won four of five coming in. Brad Miller had 20 points, seven assists and 11 rebounds, and Spencer Hawes posted 14 points and 10 rebounds in defeat.
Stoudemire started off the overtime with a jumper to give Phoenix an early lead. After a Kings offensive foul, Stoudemire hit another jumper for a four- point edge.
Udrih's free throw with 2:53 left pulled Sacramento within three, and the guard hit a layup past Stoudemire to make it 93-91 with 1 1/2 minutes left.
Hill hit a jumper on the next possession, and Miller drained a couple free throws to make it 95-93. After Sean Singletary missed a wide-open jumper for Phoenix, Salmons ran the fast break, and Hawes deposited an easy layup to tie the game with 13.9 seconds left.
On the Suns' next offensive set, Stoudemire took a jumper from just inside the three-point line and made it over Hawes with 4.5 seconds on the clock. On the Kings' last play, Salmons had a clear path to the basket but was turned away by Boris Diaw. The rebound went to Hawes, who was blocked by Stoudemire to end the game.
Down by nine coming into the fourth, Sacramento made it a seven-point game on Quincy Douby's jumper from the corner. Singletary answered with a three for Phoenix, and Bell hit a free throw to make it an 11-point game with 10 minutes left.
After a Miller free throw, Salmons pulled the Kings to within eight with a 14- footer, and Douby hit another jumper to make it 74-68. Hawes made it a four- point game with a reverse lay-in with 7 1/2 minutes left.
Diaw gave Phoenix some breathing room with a three, and O'Neal made 4-of-6 free throws down the stretch. But the Kings came within two on Udrih's layup with just over two minutes to play.
Douby had a chance to put the Kings ahead, but his three was off the mark. Goran Dragic then made 1-of-2 free throws to put the Suns up 86-83 with 1:14 left.
Miller drained a free throw with 49.4 seconds left to pull within two, and Salmons blocked Hill's ensuing jump shot. Hill went to save the ball from going out of bounds but threw it to Douby, who was fouled and hit both free throws to tie the game at 86-86 with 21.5 seconds remaining.
Hill missed his next jumper, and the Kings called a timeout with 3.2 seconds left. Douby's last-second shot clanged off the rim, sending the game to overtime.
O'Neal and Stoudemire combined for 14 points early, as the Suns held a 27-23 advantage after the opening quarter.
Leading 40-36, the Suns went on a 10-2 surge to take a 12-point lead. Bell hit three-pointers on back-to-back possessions, and Phoenix carried a 53-42 advantage into halftime.
Udrih's three from the corner with just under two minutes left in the third cut the Kings' deficit to eight, but Bell answered with a three and the Suns headed into the final period up 70-61.
Nash was suspended for one game, while Barnes got two games for the incident...Sacramento's Kevin Martin sat out his third consecutive game due to an ankle sprain...Phoenix shot just 20-of-34 from the free throw line, while Sacramento made 23-of-30 of their attempts from the charity stripe...The Suns have beaten the Kings in five straight contests between the clubs.
