COLOGNE, Germany, Oct. 11 (Ticker) -- Amare Stoudemire played
back-to-back days and helped the Phoenix Suns avoid back-to-back
losses.
Working through sore knees, Stoudemire scored 11 points in 24
minutes as the Suns overcame an early deficit and raced to a
119-102 preseason victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv in their final
contest in NBA Europe Live.
Leandro Barbosa scored 27 points and spearheaded a 39-point
fourth quarter for the Suns, who were coming off Tuesday's loss
to Philadelphia in which they squandered a 22-point
third-quarter lead.
Stoudemire came off the bench in that game and played 19
minutes, collecting six points and six rebounds. He began this
trip still rehabilitating from microfracture surgery and
experienced soreness in both knees that forced him to cut short
a pair of practice sessions and miss Phoenix's preseason opener.
Stoudemire made 3-of-5 shots - including a hammer dunk in the
final period - and 5-of-5 free throws, adding three rebounds and
a steal. It was a very encouraging sign for the Suns that he
was able to play on consecutive days.
"We're not going to play great basketball until he's 100
percent," said Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, who has guided his club
to the Western Conference finals each of the last two years.
The Suns got off to a slow start and trailed by as many as 13
points in the first half before closing to 60-57 at halftime.
They took an 80-79 lead into the fourth quarter before pulling
away.
"They gave us a great scare," D'Antoni said. "Just like all
European teams, they know how to play."
Leading the charge was Barbosa, who made 9-of-12 shots overall,
including 5-of-8 3-pointers. He added six assists and six
steals, including one that led to a breakaway layup that gave
Phoenix a 104-92 lead with 4:37 remaining.
Marcus Banks made 10-of-10 free throws and scored 21 points for
the Suns, who shot 51 percent (39-of-7) and sank 28-of-29 from
the line.
Former D-League Rookie of the Year Will Bynum scored 20 points
and former NBA player Rodney Buford added 16 for Maccabi, which
shot 48 percent (39-of-81).
On Tuesday, Maccabi lost to CSKA Moscow in a rematch of last
season's Euroleague title game in which the Russian squad ended
the two-year championship reign of the Israeli unit.
