Hornets Sting Suns in 2 OTs

Oh yeah, there was also a game to play Wednesday night, and a pretty good matchup before tipoff turned into a doozy nearly three hours later.

Point guards were on parade at US Airways Center, and, with both teams shorthanded, put on a stirring showcase, but it was New Orleans’ 6-foot-10 gunner who beat the buzzer — and the Suns — 132-130 in double overtime.

With the team’s 7-foot-1, 325-pound future center watching from a luxury suite, the home team could have used him on the defensive glass.

That will come shortly, but coach and players alike had trouble being down-and-out about a wild game loaded with star players, super plays and big shots.

Even Peja Stojakovic’s game winner, a 20-foot fadeaway at the horn, left the Suns shrugging their shoulders, well aware Stojakovic has been a buzzer-killer to many teams in his career.

“I think it was solid defense,” said Amaré Stoudemire after getting 26 points and a season-high 20 rebounds. “I was all in (Stojakovic’s) face, smothering him.”

New Orleans (33-15) tied Dallas and moved within a half-game of the Suns (34-15) for the Western Conference’s best record. The Hornets beat Phoenix for the third time this season by a total of 10 points.

Chris Paul got them to this point with 42 points, nine assists and a career-high eight steals. He was limited in the game’s final few minutes, but tracked down a key loose ball in the second overtime to set up two Jannero Pargo free throws with 14.8 seconds left. Steve Nash did the same for the Suns, with 23 of his 32 points after halftime, and a triple-double. But the “triple” part included turnovers, and the Suns coughed it up six times in the final two overtimes.

At one point, the Suns trailed by 10 points. Barbosa and Nash, however, forced overtime with a pair of 3-pointers in the final 11 seconds of regulation.

For more coverage of Phoenix sports, be sure to visit eastvalleytribune.com

Phoenix tied the score in the second overtime when Stoudemire missed from outside, Grant Hill chased down the loose ball and flung it out to Barbosa, who nailed a 26-footer with 3.2 seconds left. Or long enough for Stojakovic.

“Just a great game,” Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Hard to complain too much.”

Suns spots

Did you see that?: With 12 assists, Steve Nash passed both Reggie Theus (6,453) and John Lucas (6,454) and into sole possession of 19th place on the all-time NBA assist list. But Nash also had 10 of Phoenix’s 20 turnovers in the game.

Player of the game: Chris Paul had an epic performance with 42 points, nine assists and eight steals in 50 minutes — with just one turnover. The eight steals were a career high and two shy of the record by a Suns opponent. San Antonio’s Alvin Robertson had 10 on Feb. 18, 1986.

Unsung hero: Back in the starting lineup for the short-handed Suns, Boris Diaw scored an aggressive 22 points on 11-for-16 shooting and added seven rebounds and five assists in 43 minutes.

Thumbs up: Amaré Stoudemire had 26 points and a season-high 20 rebounds, three shy of his career high set Feb. 10 of last year against San Antonio. It’s the third time that Stoudemire has recorded a 20-20 game, but the first time it’s happened in a loss.

Thumbs down: In their first game without Shawn Marion, the Suns tied a franchise record low by recording only one steal — and that came in a 58-minute, double-overtime game. Marion averaged 2.02 steals a game this season — eighth best in the league.

COPYRIGHT 2008, EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE. Used with permission.