FArting
Lopes Up!
The Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons enter Sunday's game against each other with identical records while searching for ways to end their inconsistencies.
A win Sunday at the Palace at Auburn Hills could help the Suns (27-21) or the Pistons (27-21) get back on track.Phoenix, trying to overcome the distraction of trade rumors, rebounded from a 12-point loss Wednesday at Golden State with Saturday's 115-105 victory -- just its fifth in the last 13 games. Grant Hill scored a season-high 27 points and Amare Stoudemire, whose name is linked to most of the rumors, added 19 and 15 rebounds.
"It's been a trying week, a trying couple of weeks," Hill said. "But I think it was important for us to come out and get a win despite all the speculation that's going on and all the negativity. We came out and played together and played hard and did what we had to do."The mercurial Stoudemire has scored 17.3 points per contest in the past four games, lowering his average from 21.3 to 20.9 points. Despite scoring 19 in Saturday's win, the forward missed 11 of his 18 shots."It was tough," said Stoudemire, who has averaged 29.6 points and 9.4 rebounds in his last five games versus the Pistons. "I think once the ball goes up, everything is put aside. You get totally ready for the game, you get focused for the game and what takes place on the court. But beforehand it's a little tough and frustrating -- everything is coming at me at once."The Suns have not won more than three straight games this season and haven't lost more than four in a row.
Detroit is seeking a third straight victory for the first time since its season-high seven-game winning streak from Dec. 23-Jan. 4. Pistons veteran Richard Hamilton scored 38 points off the bench -- the most by a reserve in franchise history -- in Saturday's 126-121 overtime win over injury-plagued Milwaukee.Since making the move from starter to sub on Jan. 21, Hamilton has averaged 17.8 points on 47.8 percent shooting in eight games after scoring 16.7 points per game on 44.8 percent shooting in 32 as a starter."The simple fact that now I'm coming off the bench I ain't got time to get warmed up," said Hamilton, who is second on team with 16.9 points per game. "I have to come in on fire every time."
While Hamilton has quickly acclimated to his new role, some of his teammates have struggled. Amir Johnson, who has started seven of eight games since Hamilton's switch, has averaged 3.5 points in those games.Tayshaun Prince has also averaged 9.2 points over the past six contests -- considerably below his 13.8-point average. Rodney Stuckey, who has also scored 13.8 points per game and earned a starting spot this season, has shot 32.4 percent in his last three games and went 1-for-10 with six points on Saturday.The Pistons had lost 10 of their previous 14 games before winning their last two.Stoudemire had 29 points and 11 rebounds as the Suns shot 56.9 percent in routing the Pistons 104-86 on Nov. 16. Phoenix, which has not swept the season series since 1999-2000, has lost four of its last five at Detroit.
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