Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

O&N HOME | NFL MLB NBA NHL NCAAF NCAABk Nascar Golf Soccer Tennis Boxing Horse Racing All Sports

Warriors knocked out of playoff picture with loss to Suns

Mon 14th, April 2008

Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Shaquille O'Neal finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds, as the Phoenix Suns topped Golden State, 122-116, eliminating the Warriors from the Western Conference playoff picture.

Amare Stoudemire had 28 points for Phoenix, which created a logjam in the West playoff standings. The Suns, Utah and Houston all have a 54-27 record with one game to play after the Jazz, winners of the Northwest Division, beat Houston on Monday.

Steve Nash had 13 points and 14 assists while Grant Hill scored 12 points before leaving in the second quarter with a re-aggravation of a groin strain. Leandro Barbosa added 19 points off the bench.

Stephen Jackson had a team-high 23 points for Golden State, which fell a full game behind Denver for the eighth and final spot. The Nuggets hold the tiebreaker, making it impossible for the Warriors to get into the playoffs with one game remaining.

Warriors guard Baron Davis had seven points, but did not play the second half.

"I gave Baron a much-needed rest in the second half," Warriors head coach Don Nelson said. "I gave him a half off."

Phoenix was down by as many as 11 in the fourth quarter, after an Ellis layup boosted Golden State to a 107-96 edge with 7:09 remaining. But the Suns got back in the game on the strength of an 11-point burst.

Stoudemire had the first six points in the span, and Raja Bell ended it with a three-pointer and layup, tying the game with 4:29 on the clock.

Andris Biedrins briefly stopped the Phoenix offensive outburst with a layup, but the Suns reeled off five more points. A pair of Nash free throws with 3:20 left put Phoenix on top, 112-109.

The teams traded points until Barbosa drained a three just inside of two minutes, boosting the Suns to a five-point edge, at 117-112. Biedrins and Barbosa traded layups, with Barbosa's coming with a little less than a minute remaining.

Facing the five-point deficit with time running down, Golden State needed a big shot, but got an airball from Jackson instead. Phoenix got the rebound, and Boris Diaw went to the line, making 1-of-2, for a 120-114 edge.

Following a Jackson jumper with under 30 seconds remaining, Nash made two free throws to push the Suns' lead back to six and put the game out of reach.

"I'm not sure as a team how we did it, but I know my thoughts were that you got to have this win so I'm going to try to dominate to the best of my ability," Stoudemire said.

Monta Ellis scored 20 and grabbed eight rebounds, while Biedrins finished with 16 points and 11 boards.

Ellis ended a back-and-forth first quarter with a jumper to bring the Warriors within 31-27. But in the second stanza, Phoenix started to take control with a seven-point burst about 2 1/2 minutes in.

Gordan Giricek connected on a jumper, while Barbosa drained a three and added a layup, pushing the Suns edge to 42-32.

Then, just short of the midway point, after another Ellis layup cut Golden State's deficit to five, Phoenix went on a more substantial, 12-0 run. Barbosa started it with a three, and later added two free throws. Bell capped it with his own three-pointer that gave the Suns a 58-41 lead, with 4:02 on the clock.

Phoenix held onto the margin, and took a 71-57 advantage into the break.

Golden State, though, stormed back in the game after Stoudemire dunked with 6:43 left in the third. Phoenix went without any points for the next 3 1/2 minutes, and the Warriors went on a 15-point run, erasing a deficit and taking a lead in one fell swoop.

"We were good for a long time," Phoenix head coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We just lost our concentration."

Jackson had seven points, including a three that put Golden State in front, 88-82. The Warriors held onto the lead, and led 95-90 going into the fourth.

"No regrets," Ellis said. "We went out and played 48 minutes but we didn't win the game. What can we say?"

Game Notes

Phoenix shot 52.4 percent overall, and out-rebounded Golden State 52-43...Golden State was 10-of-23 from three-point range, good for 43.5 percent, and had a 44.2 percent shooting mark overall...Ellis had six steals.

Where the players come to play and STAY.