The Phoenix Suns were mad and embarrassed after losing their last four games and while the playoff hopes might be slim, this isn't a team that's going to go quietly into the night. Steve Nash came out with a bounce in his step and an infectious intensity that lifted the Suns to a dominating victory over the Golden State Warriors.
"It's a good win. We had a tough week and you sort of forget what the feeling of winning is like and how to get a win, so we came out with a sense of urgency and got that win. Now we have to go to LA and take care of business on Sunday," Grant Hill said after the game.
Nash might actually be feeling better, or he might have just decided to ignore that he's feeling bad. Either way, he scored 17 points on 5-10 shooting and had 10 assists. It was the most points he's scored in a game since the All-Star break. His leadership, however, was the key as his teammates showed true Canadian grit with their activity and intensity on both ends of the floor.
Steve said after the game that he felt about the same physically as he did in the New Orleans game and that he needs to continue working on his rehab.
Unfortunately, the Suns bench led by Aaron Brooks was unable to hold the 19-point lead they inherited to start the fourth quarter. Instead of cruising to an easy victory, Alvin Gentry was forced to bring his starters back in the game with 7:45 to go after the margin slipped to just eight points.
It wasn't a pretty finish, but Nash and friends were able to close out the game and secure the win.
The Suns got a strong 17 point, nine rebound performance from Channing Frye in his return from a shoulder injury. Dorrell Wright scored 30 points to lead the Warriors as Grant Hill once again held dynamic scoring guard, Monta Ellis to a tough shooting night (8 points, 3-11 shooting).
Gentry was again singing the defensive praises of Hill, "Grant Hill's defense on Monta Ellis was superb. I still say he should be on the All-Defensive team. I'll keep arguing that. Night in and night out, the guy he guards very seldom gets his average."
Statistically, the brightest spot for the Suns were the turnovers. Gentry stressed before the game that his team couldn't afford to turn the ball over to the athletic and speed Warriors. The Suns finished with 24 points off 21 Golden State turnovers while the Warriors had 15 points off 12 from the Suns.
The Suns now head to LA for a game Sunday against the Clippers and Tuesday against the Lakers.
Visit the SB Nation Arizona YouTube channel for postgame video from the press conference and Suns locker room with interviews from Gentry, Nash, Frye and Gortat.