Suns top Kings to win fifth straight
Feb 7th, 2010 by Aaron Hotchner
Sacramento 2/5/10 - Steve Nash may have been two days before his 36th birthday, but he played like a man 10 years younger. Leading a Phoenix team that has ripped off five straight wins - the last four on a Western Conference road swing - Nash & Suns power forward Amar’e Stoudemire combined to dominate the Kings Friday night. For Sacramento, who have lost 17 of their last 19 games, a 114-102 loss coming at home was especially bitter.
NBA lore says after the ‘03-’04 season, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban found himself at a crossroads. Wishing to build a championship contender around Dirk Nowitzki, Cuban knew he had to spend carefully. Faced with point guard Steve Nash simultaneously entering free agency & celebrating his 30th birthday, Cuban made a fateful decision & allowed himself to be outbid by the Phoenix Suns. Dallas made it to the NBA Finals two seasons later, losing to the Miami Heat, and haven’t been back since. Phoenix paired Nash with coach Mike D’Antoni & they pioneered a light-speed offensive attack that revolutionized the NBA - but has never produced a championship.
In six years since Dallas Nash has come to resemble a fine wine, getting better with age. He’s even won League MVP honors twice, rare for a player of his position. Against Sacramento, he held true to form, putting up a near triple-double - 23 points, 8 rebounds, & 10 assists. Stoudemire certainly benefited from Nash’s double-digit dimes, rocking the rim for 30 points & snatching 9 rebounds to boot. The Suns really heated things up in the third, responding to flickering signs of life from the Kings. ”We came out and we were aggressive,” Stoudemire said. ”We had a couple of big plays there to get our momentum back and we just took off from there.”
The King’s season has cooled recently after an early hot start. Probable rookie of the year Tyreke Evans managed only 13 points & four assists, down from his usual averages of 20.5 & 5.0 per game. Sacramento’s Donte Greene had the big night, setting a new career high with 31 points. However, fans in Arco Arena were not impressed, by that or by 17 points from another Kings rookie, Omri Casspi. They booed the team off the floor at a timeout in the third period, the Suns leading by 29.
For Phoenix, these four roads wins left them hopeful on chances to compete in the hyper-fierce Western Conference. While Nash remains ageless and Stoudemire remains in a Suns uniform - he’s a free agent this summer & a hot name in trade talks - you can’t count them out. Sacramento though, has a tougher row to hoe. For years, Kings ownership has lobbied the city’s leadership for a new arena, with winning buzz generated earlier in the year helping the cause. However, prospects on a new court for the Kings have faded along with the team, especially given recession ravaged California’s financial situation.