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closeJason Richardson finished with a game-high 22 points and Channing Frye added 18 to go along with 10 rebounds, as the Phoenix Suns claimed a 102-90 win over the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center.
Amare Stoudemire went for 17 points and 12 boards, while Grant Hill donated 13 points and as many rebounds for Phoenix, which was coming off a 110-103 win at Boston on Friday. The Suns have won six of seven to start the season. Steve Nash dished out a game-best 17 assists in addition to registering 11 points.
"This is the type of team that I think has to be humble," Nash said. "The minute we start to say we are a certain caliber of team I think there is a danger there, so we just have to keep being humble and keep treating this like a project that's going to take the whole season and keep improving."
Gilbert Arenas and Andray Blatche each had 20 points for the Wizards, who dropped a 102-86 decision at Indiana on Friday and have suffered four straight losses. Randy Foye ended with 16 points and Brendan Haywood logged 10 points, 10 boards and five blocks.
"It's been a never-ending thing here lately," Washington head coach Flip Saunders said about the team's struggles. "Our offense has been stagnant and we are struggling offensively which is putting a lot of undue pressure on us defensively."
A late Arenas three-pointer gave the Wizards a 29-26 lead after the opening quarter. Things remained close for the majority of the second, but with the game deadlocked at 46 near the 3 1/2 minute mark, a pair of threes by Richardson and Jared Dudley sandwiched around a Hill free throw in the closing minute put the Suns ahead 56-51 at the intermission.
Phoenix began the third with a mini 10-4 run with Stoudemire and Frye accounting for eight of the points to give the visitors a double-digit lead at 66-55 nearly four minutes in. The Suns would not relinquish the advantage in the remaining time and would be up 80-71 after three.
The Suns continued to have their way with things in the fourth, leading by as many as 14 en route to the 102-90 victory.
Game Notes
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