Since Leandro Barbosa went down with a bone bruise last week, the big fear was how the Suns would fare without their top sixth man in the lineup for the next one-to-three weeks. It turns out they’ve got a bunch of guys ready, willing and more than able to pick up the slack in the meantime.

The Suns’ bench came up big again in Monday’s season-best fifth straight win, upending the Nuggets 118-115 at US Airways Center. Battling back from an 11-point second-half deficit, Phoenix handed Denver their ninth-consecutive loss at US Airways Center, as well as pulled within three games of idle Dallas for the eighth and final playoff slot in the West.

“Once again, our bench saved us again,” Suns Head Coach Alvin Gentry said. “When we made that run, we had all of our bench players in there. We had Lou (Amundson) and JD (Jared Dudley), and Goran (Dragic) made a couple of big plays for us. I thought that they did a great job. I continue to say that, but night in and night out our bench has been pretty good for us. We just gutted it out and made some plays.”

Dudley led the Suns’ reserves with 12 points and eight rebounds – the second time in as many games he’s reached double figures in scoring and the third time in his last four contests.

“Jared’s been great,” said Grant Hill who scored a team-high 23 points. “Goran’s playing with a lot of confidence. Lou has played particularly well. Alando Tucker gets in there, playing good defense and making plays.

“The bench has been great. That’s one thing since Alvin has taken over – him really going to the bench and using them. That gives them confidence. That’s the big reason why we’re playing better and starting to get a nice rhythm. It’s a credit to those guys on the bench and to Alvin. It’s about trust.”

Bye-Bye Nene

In a true grab bag of tactics more reminiscent of a wrestling match than a basketball game, Lou Amundson absorbed everything from forearms to headbutts to elbows during his fourth-quarter exchanges with Nuggets center Nene, before the big man was ejected with a flagrant foul, type 2 at the 7:25 mark of the final frame.

“The fact it got to where it did was ridiculous,” Amundson said. “I don’t back down from anybody. I play hard and physical. Apparently false tough guys don’t like that, so they like to swing at you.

“I guess I’m making enemies around the league.”

The Birthday Cake Will Have to Wait

What do you get a gorilla who has everything? In Monday’s case, it was six stitches in his tongue.

The Suns Gorilla celebrated his birthday with a quick onceover by medical personnel after hitting the basket face first during his second-half dunk routine, that also included visiting mascots like the Cardinals’ Big Red, Baxter from the Diamondbacks, the Pacers’ Bowser, the Hornets’ Hugo and Scorch from the Mercury.