PHOENIX, Arizona, (Reuters) – The Phoenix Suns preserved their 100 percent home record this season with an 116-104 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.
Amare Stoudemire scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds while Steve Nash hit 25 points and dished out 13 assists as the Suns extended the NBA’s only unbeaten home record to 9-0.
“We are a gritty team,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry told the Arizona Republic. “We compete. We feel like we can compete against the majority of the teams in the league.”
Tim Duncan scored a season-high 34 points and made 14 rebounds for San Antonio (12-10).
The Suns (17-8) led 67-52 at halftime before the Spurs cut a 20-point deficit in the third quarter with a 28-13 run, but could not hold off the home side in the fourth.
Phoenix snapped a string of three losses to the Spurs who have proved to be the Pacific Division team’s nemesis in recent years.
The Suns missed the postseason a year ago, but were eliminated from the playoffs by San Antonio in three of their previous four postseason appearances.
“It’s been a battle ever since we started the playoff push my rookie year,” Stoudemire said. “My confidence is the same night in and night out — we make sure we bring our ‘A’ game against the Spurs.”
Winners of four NBA titles since the 1998-99 campaign, the Spurs had won three straight heading into the night’s contest but could not carry their momentum past the Suns.
Roger Mason added 19 points and Tony Parker 15 in a losing effort.
Phoenix got an unexpected boost from reserve Goran Dragic who scored a career-high 18 points and made four of the team’s 11 three-pointers during a hot shooting performance.
The Suns have stayed among the top teams in the Western Conference despite playing a league-high 16 games on the road. They play 10 of their next 13 games at home.
