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Phoenix-- --New York
Madison Square Garden - New York , NY
Suns-Knicks Preview
The Phoenix Suns' impressive winning streak began with a victory over the New York Knicks. Now they'll try to match the longest run in franchise history with another.
The Suns go for their 15th straight victory as they visit the Knicks on Wednesday in their final meeting of the season.
Phoenix (33-8) had lost two of three games entering its Dec. 29th meeting with New York (18-25), but got back on track with a 108-86 victory. That was the first of 14 consecutive wins for the Suns, including a 127-105 rout of the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
They are now trying to tie their team-record 15-game winning streak set earlier this season from Nov. 20-Dec. 19. Phoenix is averaging an NBA-best 111.9 points and 129.0 in its last two wins.
The Suns shot a season-high 60.8 percent (48-for-79) from the floor Tuesday and 18 of 21 from the free-throw line. They had assists on 35 of 48 field goals and led 76-51 at halftime.
Steve Nash led seven Suns in double figures with 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting and had 14 assists for his 28th double-double. Shawn Marion and Raja Bell each added 21 points to help Phoenix avenge an earlier loss to Washington, which snapped its franchise-long winning streak.
"We didn't want to underestimate them or have a lack of energy to start the game," said Nash, the Western Conference player of the week. "That was, I think, our motivation. We respected how well they played at our place and we wanted to give them a better game."
The Suns are playing the second of five consecutive games on the road, where they have won 14 of their last 15. They have dropped four of their last five trips to New York, but have won five of the last six overall meetings between these teams.
While Phoenix's offense is surging, New York's faltered early Monday en route to a 101-83 defeat to the Miami Heat. The Knicks missed 10 straight first-quarter shots, allowing Miami to score 27 consecutive points, and they never recovered, losing for the third time in four games.
Center Eddy Curry scored 26 points for the second straight game, but the rest of the Knicks' starting lineup combined for just 12. Jamal Crawford added 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting along with nine assists off the bench.
He could get a chance to get back in the starting lineup Wednesday if New York is forced to play without Stephon Marbury. The point guard has started every game for the Knicks this season, but may be sidelined with soreness in his left knee.
Marbury, who has been playing through tendinitis, has not finished either of the last two games and was held to a season-low 16 minutes Monday.
"It's just part of basketball, it's something that you go through," said Marbury, who played with the Suns for two-plus seasons before being acquired by the Knicks in an eight-player deal on Jan. 5, 2004. "I've been in the league, this is my 11th year, you're going to have things like this.
"I can deal with the pain, it's just right now it's just at the point where it's just really sore and it's just aggravated right now."
Marbury said he'll decide Wednesday whether he'll be ready for the game, but coach Isiah Thomas said he'd probably consider Marbury doubtful.
Quentin Richardson spent the 2004-05 season with Phoenix and may finally get the chance to face his former team. He has not played in the Knicks' three contests with the Suns since he was acquired by New York before the 2005-06 season.
