NBA  FINAL           1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH     TOTAL
                     --- --- --- ---     -----
     PHOENIX          26  19  26  27       98
     DENVER           32  21  21  13       87    FINAL


 HIGH SCORERS:  PHO - CLIFF ROBINSON 25, TOM GUGLIOTTA 22, TWO PLAYERS
                      WITH 11
                DEN - BRYANT STITH 20, ANTONIO MCDYESS 14, DANNY FORTSON 14


 HIGH REBOUND:  PHO - JASON KIDD 13, TOM GUGLIOTTA 10
                DEN - ANTONIO MCDYESS 11, DANNY FORTSON 9


 HIGH ASSISTS:  PHO - JASON KIDD 11, TWO PLAYERS WITH 5
                DEN - NICK VAN EXEL 11, BRYANT STITH 5


          ATT:  13,129
                                                                        

Extended Box


PHOENIX (98) AT DENVER (87)


PHOENIX
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


GUGLIOTTA         F    36    9-15     4-5      6   4  10    5   2   2   1   22
ROBINSON          F    42    7-18     5-6      4   2   6    5   4   1   2   25
LONGLEY           C    13    2-3      2-2      1   2   3    0   2   0   1    6
BAILEY            G    10    3-8      0-0      1   2   3    0   0   0   0    6
KIDD              G    45    5-16     0-0      6   7  13   11   4   1   3   11
GARRITY                12    0-4      1-2      1   0   1    0   2   1   0    1
MANNING                27    0-7      3-4      2   4   6    0   1   1   1    3
MCCLOUD                32    5-11     0-0      0   3   3    1   0   0   0   11
MORRIS                 18    3-7      4-4      0   0   0    0   1   0   0   10
SIMS                    5    1-3      0-0      1   1   2    1   1   2   1    3
CHAPMAN               DNP - EYE INJURY
KLEINE                DNP - LACERATED LIP


TOTALS                240   35-92    19-23    22  25  47   23  17   8   9   98
                            (.380)   (.826) TEAM REBS: 16 TOTAL TO: 12(9 PTS)


DENVER
                                               REBOUNDS
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===


MCDYESS           F    34    6-15     2-2      7   4  11    2   5   2   2   14
STITH             F    41    7-11     2-2      1   2   3    5   1   2   1   20
FORTSON           C    25    5-6      4-7      1   8   9    0   6   0   3   14
BILLUPS           G    34    5-13     0-0      0   0   0    4   5   1   3   13
VAN EXEL          G    41    4-14     1-2      0   2   2   11   1   0   5   11
HERRERA                10    2-5      0-1      3   1   4    0   3   1   1    4
TAYLOR                 28    0-4      0-0      0   4   4    3   2   0   4    0
WASHINGTON             27    5-5      0-0      0   5   5    0   2   0   0   11
ALEXANDER             DNP - COACH'S DECISION
K MCCARTY             DNP - COACH'S DECISION
MEYER                 DNP - COACH'S DECISION
E WILLIAMS            DNP - COACH'S DECISION


TOTALS                240   34-73     9-14    12  26  38   25  25   6  19   87
                            (.466)   (.643) TEAM REBS: 4  TOTAL TO: 19(23 PTS)


   PHOENIX            26   19   26   27  -   98
   DENVER             32   21   21   13  -   87


BLOCKED SHOTS: PHOENIX -  MCCLOUD, BAILEY, MORRIS. DENVER -  STITH,
TAYLOR, MCDYESS, WASHINGTON.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: PHOENIX 9-25 (.360), ROBINSON 6-10, KIDD 1-6, MCCLOUD
1-6, MORRIS 0-2, SIMS 1-1. DENVER 10-21 (.476), STITH 4-6, BILLUPS 3-8,
VAN EXEL 2-5, TAYLOR 0-1, WASHINGTON 1-1.
TECHNICALS: DENVER - ILLEGAL DEFENSE.
OFFICIALS: BOB DELANEY, GREG WILLARD, TONY BROTHERS.
A - 13,129. T - 2:06.
                                                                        

Box Score


PHOENIX (98)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Gugliotta       36  9-15   4-5  6-10  5  2   22
Robinson        42  7-18   5-6   4-6  5  4   25
Longley         13   2-3   2-2   1-3  0  2    6
Bailey          10   3-8   0-0   1-3  0  0    6
Kidd            45  5-16   0-0  6-13 11  4   11
Garrity         12   0-4   1-2   1-1  0  2    1
Manning         27   0-7   3-4   2-6  0  1    3
Mccloud         32  5-11   0-0   0-3  1  0   11
Morris          18   3-7   4-4   0-0  0  1   10
Sims             5   1-3   0-0   1-2  1  1    3
Chapman        DNP - eye injury
Kleine         DNP - lacerated lip
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 35-92 19-23 22-47 23 17   98
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.380, FT-.826. 3-Point Goals:
9-25, .360 (Robinson 6-10, Kidd 1-6, Mccloud 1-6,
Morris 0-2, Sims 1-1). Team rebounds: 16. Blocked
shots: 3 (Mccloud, Bailey, Morris). Turnovers: 12
(Kidd 3, Robinson 2, Gugliotta, Longley, Manning,
Sims). Steals: 8 (Gugliotta 2, Sims 2, Garrity,
Kidd, Manning, Robinson).


DENVER (87)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Mcdyess         34  6-15   2-2  7-11  2  5   14
Stith           41  7-11   2-2   1-3  5  1   20
Fortson         25   5-6   4-7   1-9  0  6   14
Billups         34  5-13   0-0   0-0  4  5   13
Van Exel        41  4-14   1-2   0-2 11  1   11
Herrera         10   2-5   0-1   3-4  0  3    4
Taylor          28   0-4   0-0   0-4  3  2    0
Washington      27   5-5   0-0   0-5  0  2   11
Alexander      DNP - coach's decision
K Mccarty      DNP - coach's decision
Meyer          DNP - coach's decision
E Williams     DNP - coach's decision
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         240 34-73  9-14 12-38 25 25   87
_______________________________________________


Percentages: FG-.466, FT-.643. 3-Point Goals:
10-21, .476 (Stith 4-6, Billups 3-8, Van Exel
2-5, Taylor 0-1, Washington 1-1). Team rebounds:
4. Blocked shots: 4 (Stith, Taylor, Mcdyess,
Washington). Turnovers: 19 (Van Exel 5, Taylor 4,
Billups 3, Fortson 3, Mcdyess 2, Herrera, Stith).
Steals: 6 (Mcdyess 2, Stith 2, Billups, Herrera).
____________________________________________
Phoenix            26   19   26   27  -   98
Denver             32   21   21   13  -   87
____________________________________________
Technical fouls: Denver 1 (Illegal Defense, 9:18
4th). Flagrant fouls: None.  A: 13,129. T: 2:06.
Officials: Bob Delaney, Greg Willard, Tony
Brothers.
                                                                        

Game Story


DENVER (Ticker) -- Cliff Robinson scored 25 points, Tom
Gugliotta added 22 and both keyed a big effort on the offensive
glass, helping the Phoenix Suns rally from a 16-point deficit to
notch a 98-87 victory over the Denver Nuggets. 


Jason Kidd recorded his league-leading seventh triple-double and
second of the season against Denver with 11 points, 13 rebounds
and 11 assists.  He had six offensive rebounds as the Suns tied
a season high with 22. 


"As a team, we played with more energy in the fourth period. We
tried to push it out as hard as we could," Gugliotta said.
"Offensive rebounds kept us in the game.  We got second and
third opportunities and that helps win a lot of games." 


Robinson made six of the Suns' nine 3-pointers and grabbed four
offensive boards.  Gugliotta had 10 rebounds, including six on
the offensive end, as the Suns remained one game in front of
Sacramento for sixth place in the Western Conference. 


Gugliotta had an 18-footer and fed Robinson for a 3-pointer
before Kidd hit from beyond the arc to cap a 19-4 burst that
gave Phoenix a 92-82 cushion with 1:51 to play. 


Kidd made just 5-of-16 from the field after collecting 29 points
in Wednesday's loss at Minnesota, which ended the Suns'
three-game winning streak. 


"This will go down as the ugliest," Kidd said of his 26th career
triple-double.  "Yesterday, I shot the ball well, but that's how
this game is.  You have to stay with it and pick up other parts
of your game." 


Phoenix defeated Denver for the ninth straight time and can
clinch a playoff berth with a win Saturday against Vancouver. 


Former Sun Antonio McDyess battled foul trouble throughout and
finished with just 14 points and 14 rebounds. 


Bryant Stith scored 20 points to pace the Nuggets, whose 19
turnovers led to 21 points for the Suns.  Denver scored just
nine points off 12 Phoenix turnovers. 


"We were undersized on the court, but we did the best job we
could," Stith said.  "We were giving up five to six inches at
every position and we were trying to box out, but their reach
was too much for us to overcome." 


Stith had 10 points in the opening period as the Nuggets grabbed
a 32-26 lead. An 18-5 tear in the second quarter, capped by Nick
Van Exel's 3-pointer, gave Denver a 53-37 cushion with 2:32
left. 


Robinson answered with a 3-pointer and jumper before George
McCloud hit from beyond the arc as Phoenix trimmed the deficit
to 53-45 at the half. 


Van Exel, Chauncey Billups and Stith buried consecutive
3-pointers for a 64-50 lead with 9:05 left in the third period.
That came just over a minute after both McDyess and fellow
front-line starter Danny Fortson picked up their fourth fouls --
losses that proved costly for the Nuggets. 


"Those guys (Fortson and McDyess) are good players and that's
what we wanted to do, was to be aggressive and get to the foul
line," said Suns coach Danny Ainge.  "They just don't have any
depth on the front line." 


The margin was 72-62 when the Suns started a quarter-closing 9-2
spurt that began to turn the game in their favor.  Gugliotta had
four points in the run and Kidd fed McCloud for a jumper on the
break that made it 74-71 by the end of the period. 


A jumper by McDyess gave Denver a 78-73 lead.  Gugliotta sank a
free throw to begin the pivotal 19-4 burst, Robinson added a
pair from the line and Kidd hit a fast-break layup to forge a
78-78 tie. 


Chris Morris gave Phoenix its first lead with a lay-in, but
Billups answered with a 3-pointer.  It was Denver's only points
in a span of over eight minutes during the final period. 


"It was a tale of two halves," Stith added.  "In the first half,
everything went our way.  In the second half, they created their
own opportunities through offensive rebounding and tracking down
loose balls." 


Gugliotta put the Suns ahead for good with a jumper off a feed
from Kidd and Morris added a hook shot for an 84-81 advantage.
Gugliotta scored seven points in the fourth and Robinson added
six as Phoenix won in Denver for the fifth straight time. 


McCloud contributed 11 points and Morris added 10 for the Suns,
who shot just 38 percent (36-of-92) from the field but made
19-of-23 free throws.  The Suns owned a 47-38 advantage on the
boards and outscored the Nuggets in the paint, 34-18. 


"I don't know if we were afraid to win or if we're playing not
to lose," said Nuggets coach Mike D'Antoni. 


Fortson fouled out with 14 points and nine rebounds, Billups
scored 13 points and Van Exel added 11 and 11 assists for
Denver, which made just two of its final 10 attempts from beyond
the arc after hitting 8-of-11. 
                                                                        

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