Grant Hill And Channing Frye Questionable For Suns 'Must Win' Game Against Jazz

The Phoenix Suns face their first "must win" game of the season and may be without two key starters.

NBA Playoff Picture 2012: Suns Outlook Bleak After Loss To Nuggets

The Phoenix Suns had two chances left in the regular season to control some measure of their own destiny. They squandered their first such opportunity on Saturday night, as they fell to the Denver Nuggets and helped Denver clinch a playoff spot.

Now there is just one playoff spot remaining in the Western Conference that is still up for grabs and the Suns have slid out of that No. 8 seed for the time being. Phoenix is now duking it out with the Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets for that final spot.

The Jazz defeated the Orlando Magic on Saturday night in overtime, which places them one game ahead of the Rockets and Suns in the standings. The good news is that the Suns visit the Jazz on Tuesday and will have a chance to tie them in the standings. The bad news is that will be the last chance for Phoenix to directly influence their postseason chances.

The Suns will need to win on Tuesday. After that, they'll need a lot of luck.

For all news and information regarding the Phoenix Suns, please visit Bright Side of the Sun.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

Suns Blown Out By Nuggets Third Quarter Run, Lose 118-107

The Phoenix Suns were right with the Denver Nuggets all through the first half, but a 23-6 run to start the third quarter blew the game open. The Suns were able to close to within 11, but never really threatened the Nuggets who clinched a playoff spot with the win.

The Suns playoff chances remain alive heading into an actual "must win" game in Utah on Tuesday against the Jazz. A win there and the Suns would need a win on Wednesday to guarantee a postseason spot. A loss Tuesday and it's over.

Phoenix lost more than just this game when starting power forward Channing Frye had to leave the court in the second quarter with a "sublexed right shoulder".

Little-used Hakim Warrick started the third quarter but defensively was a liability as the Nuggets pushed the ball and converted turnovers. He wasn't the only one "credited" with poor defense for the Suns.

"Our whole team was lost defensively. I don't think it was just one guy, I don't think you can say that," coach Alvin Gentry said.

Ty Lawson continues to punish a Suns team that passed on him in the 2009 NBA Draft. The Suns picked Earl Clark 14th while Lawson went 18th overall.

Lawson admitted after the game that he does have that in his mind, "I don't think it's personal (facing Steve Nash) It's never personal. Maybe against the Phoenix organization, because they picked someone else in front of me when I came out of the draft. So, I mean that is probably the only added motivation I have."

Lawson finished the game with 29 points, including 5-5 from three.

Steve Nash passed Oscar Robertson to take over the fifth spot on the all-time NBA assist list. Nash had eight points and 13 assists in this game. The Suns were led by Shannon Brown's 28 points.

The Nuggets beat the Suns all three times they played this season. They shot 55.2 percent from the field and took advantage of 17 Suns turnovers. The Nuggets outscored the Suns 26-2 in fastbreak points.

"They've got a really good team, a deep team, so they create a lot of problems for us and we haven't been able to beat them...They were better than us today for sure," Steve Nash said about the Nuggets who are a match up nightmare for the Suns.

Phoenix will have a practice day on Sunday and then travel to Utah on Monday before facing the Jazz on Tuesday night.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

Channing Frye Out With Shoulder Injury, Could Miss Rest Of Season

The Phoenix Suns have already been playing without starter Grant Hill, and now it looks like they will be without starter Channing Frye. Frye left the floor in the second quarter of Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets with what's officially been described as a "subluxed right shoulder".

Frye had a similar injury in early March last season to the same shoulder and missed seven games. A shoulder subluxation is a partial dislocation of the joint.

Similar to the way the injury happened last season, Frye appeared to hurt the shoulder when Nuggets forward Danilo Galinari slapped down on the ball just as Frye was trying to raise it. The counter-forces seemed to have caused his shoulder to at least partially dislocate.

The Suns have yet to say anything about his prognosis or timetable, but based on the recent history with a similar injury it seems unlikely that Frye would be available for the Suns final two games of the season on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Frye has been averaging 10 points and six rebounds per game in about 26 minutes of play this season. He's shooting .344 from three this season.

For the latest AZ sports, follow us on Twitter @SBNArizona and "Like" us on Facebook.

Suns Vs. Nuggets Preview: Starting Lineups, TV Schedule & More

The Phoenix Suns will have a chance to help control their own destiny on Saturday. They'll host the Denver Nuggets, who are currently ahead of them in the Western Conference standings.