The Phoenix Suns might start wishing every NBA road game could be in the Big Easy against the New Orleans after another masterful performance against the Hornets in a 120-103 win Wednesday night.
Steve Nash put on a clinic with 30 points and 10 assists and led four Suns in double figures in points, and above that, established the new franchise record for career assists when he dished out No. 6,519 with 6:30 left in the third quarter, a pass ahead to of all people, Josh Childress for a transition bucket.
Nash surpassed Kevin Johnson for the record, a guy he backed up when Nash first entered the league with the Suns. It was Phoenix's first win over any opponent this season when trailing at halftime, as the Suns were 0-12 on the year under such circumstances.
The win was the second in three games for the Suns (8-13).
Playing without Grant Hill for the second half due to right knee soreness, the Suns nevertheless shot the lights out. They made 52.6 percent of their shots and by far exceeded their highest point total in a game for the season. Marcin Gortat recorded his 12th double-double in the past 13 games with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
The Suns weren't exactly scintillating on defense, but they didn't need to be. The game was very close until near the midway part of the fourth quarter, when the Suns broke it open.
Sebastian Telfair, Ronnie Price and Childress provided some productive minutes off the bench. The Suns survived a 20-point, 12-assist night from the Hornets' Greivis Vasquez and won in New Orleans by a double-digit margin just as they did on Dec. 30.