Reserves spark Suns' turnaround against Nuggets

By Mike Tulumello, for NBA.com
Posted Tuesday March 2, 2010 12:49AM

PHOENIX (NBA.com exclusive) -- They're reserves, basketball players who are often known as "energy" types rather than "skill" players.

In general, they are supposed to keep the scoring margin about the same as when they entered.

That wasn't the case Monday night in Arizona, when the Suns' bench turned what looked to be a methodical win by the Nuggets into a surprise blowout by the Suns.

Their names: Goran Dragic, Louis Amundson, Channing Frye and Jared Dudley, who keyed the Suns' 101-85 win.

The Suns' reserves threw up a zone defense that confused the Nuggets.

Gentry said he went to the ploy -- which the Suns use irregularly at most -- because the Nuggets are so adept at scoring against man-to-man defenses.

"It's basically just a soft man-to-man, designed to stop penetration," coach Alvin Gentry said of his zone."

"I can't deny that the zone bothered us," Nuggets coach George Karl said.

"They went zone with their second unit...and they got turnovers, which they're good at converting. For three quarters we play them pretty much the right way, and the one quarter, it kills us."

The Suns' reserves played so well in turning the game in the Suns' favor, that coach Alvin Gentry left them in the game throughout the second quarter while such stars as Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire rested.

The marquee players ended up being highly paid cheerleaders when the Suns outscored the Nuggets by a stunning 33-11 in the second quarter while erasing deficits that reached 13 (37-24 early in the second quarter).

"Those guys really cheer for each other," coach Alvin Gentry said. "That's what makes us a special team."

Stoudemire said, "It was great watching those guys...they did a phenomenal job."

Particularly effective, as he has been in the past against the Nuggets, was Amundson, who grew up near Denver.

He had seven points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 21 minutes.

"I don't know what it is," said Amundson, who was "a big fan" of the Nuggets growing up and now is the clear favorite of fans in Phoenix.

"Maybe it's just good matchups or coincidence."

Frye had 16 points while Dragic had 12 points and four assists in 17 minutes.

Moreover, the Suns outscored the Nuggets by 21 with Frye in the game, 20 with Dragic on the floor. Altogether, the Suns' reserves were plus-62,

Also, Grant Hill had 10 points and eight rebounds while effectively defending Carmelo Anthony, who shot just 7-for-21.

Anthony even missed three of his five free throws.

Stoudemire had 19 points and 10 boards in 27 minutes, while Nash had 11 points and 10 assists in 31 minutes.

For the Nuggets (39-21), Chauncey Billups had 21 points.

Once the Suns assumed command (57-44 at halftime), the Nuggets never cut the lead to single digits.

"It was just tough to get it back going," Billups said.

Both teams were coming off tough, emotional losses to Western rivals the previous day, the Nuggets to the Lakers and the Suns to the Spurs.

"It's a fatiguing time of the season," Karl said, "And we've got some banged-up guys.

"Not having Ty (Lawson) and not having Bird (Chris Andersen) doesn't help. We're a little thin, and they're a good team."

Of Anthony, he said. "I think he's having a little shooting slump.

"He's just got to work himself back into shape and get back in a rhythm from his ankle injury a couple weeks ago."

The Suns (38-24) now have won 12 of their past 15 games.

They've also won 10 straight at home vs. the Nuggets, who haven't won in Arizona since Steve Nash returned before the 2004-05 season.

This season, the Suns now are 5-8 against the league's top five teams: the Lakers, Cavs, Nuggets, Magic and Mavericks.

Their offensive firepower has been enough to carry them easily against the rest of the league (33-16).

They have two games left against the NBA's elite, at home March 12th vs. the Lakers (they're 1-2 against them) and a final game against the Nuggets (they're 2-1) on April 13th.

The rest of their schedule is fairly breezy; 10 of their final 20 games are against teams that are now in lottery position. And 11 of their final 20 are at home.