Whether it was the tryptophan from the Thanksgiving turkey or the absence of their starting point guard, the Suns came out extremely sluggish in their showdown with the Miami Heat on Friday.

In a game that was circled on the calendar of at least a few of the players involved, the slow start came as a bit of a surprise considering the matchup featured the first meeting between the two clubs since the colossal trade of Shaquille O’Neal.

The deal, which occurred last February, brought the Diesel to the Valley in exchange for forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks, finally came circle with the introduction of Marion to the Phoenix faithful. The first name announced during introductions, Marion received a brief standing ovation as an appreciation for his work for the franchise.

But while the cheers may have started there for Suns fans, they would soon be quieted. Phoenix started slow and fell behind by as many as 17 in the first quarter before being dealt a 107-92 home loss. Phoenix, which never really found its groove on either end, played the entire night without playmaker Steve Nash, who missed the contest with a right thigh contusion. The Suns were also marred by turnovers, committing eight in the first quarter before finishing the game with 19.

Maybe the biggest problem for Phoenix was attempting to find an answer for Heat guard Dwyane Wade. Miami’s prolific guard erupted for 43 points on 15-of-24 shooting, showing an innate ability to score from all areas of the court. The former Marquette star was 11-of-12 from the free throw line as well, earning one more trip to the stripe than the entire Suns team.

Wade’s night overshadowed the play of any Suns player, including O’Neal. The big fella performed well, totaling 12 points and nine rebounds on only eight shot attempts. But the brightest spot offensively came from Leandro Barbosa, who contributed 20 points on 9-of-20 shooting. It was a good sign for the Suns, who have missed the Brazilian’s explosive play off the bench recently.

The Suns will look for redemption when they play host to Vince Carter and the Nets on Sunday at 6 p.m. and airing on FSN AZ.

MATRIX: THE SEQUEL

You’ve seen “The Matrix” for years, so you knew there had to be a sequel. During his time in the desert, Shawn Marion was not only a popular player on the court, but off of it as well.

Appearing to be a lock for a spot in the Ring of Honor, Marion received a warm welcome from everyone in the halls of the Purple Palace. He and former Suns guard Marcus Banks even wandered into the home team’s locker room to exchange pleasantries with the Suns players and training staff before the contest.

Marion, who spent eight and a half seasons in Phoenix, didn’t have his best game ever at US Airways Center, but he did put the exclamation point on the evening by throwing down an alley-oop dunk with about 1:30 remaining in the contest.

Before the contest, Marion reflected very positively on his time spent in Phoenix, citing his being drafted by Phoenix as one of the most memorable moments of his life.

Fans that remember him fondly need not worry. They can continue to catch glimpses of the four-time All-Star as he returns periodically to his home in the Valley.

“Real estate is horrible now right now, I can’t sell it,” Marion said. “Actually, I have two houses here for sale.”

In fact, just yesterday he spent time rummaging through the mounds of cartoons, CDs and DVDs that he left here before the trade. To everyone who saw him, he’s still the same old Shawn.

“If I ever wanted to be up on something, I’d always go to Shawn,” guard Raja Bell said. “He was always the first to see a movie or hear a new CD.”

So even though fans and former Suns staffers were only able to see a shortened version of “The Matrix” this time around, the reviews of one of their favorite Suns was still two thumbs up.

ANSWERING THE BELL

If you’ve ever wondered if the adage about the squeaky wheel getting the grease rings true, look no further than Raja Bell. After being whistled for a traveling call in Wednesday’s road win over the Timberwolves, Bell made his case to referee Mark Wunderlich for approximately three straight trips down the court.

Upon seeing the overwhelming level of fervor demonstrated by Bell, the official checked the video of the disputed call during a break in action. After the viewing, he promptly sauntered over to the defensive ace with a response.

The verdict? Not guilty.

Although the outcome remained the same, Bell appreciated the apology.

“That was the first time in career that an official ever said that to me,” he said.

BIRTHDAY BOY

Leandro Barbosa not only had one of the better games of his season spoiled by Friday’s loss, but also his birthday. The former Sixth Man of the Year, who turned 26-years old Friday, had a cake and a birthday song delivered to him by fellow guard Raja Bell.

INJURY REPORT

Steve Nash is listed as day-to-day with his right thigh contusion. The Suns point guard, who has been hampered with the injury for a few weeks, elected to rest for tonight’s game because he has been continually reinjuring it during game action.

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