Suns Stage Late Comeback, Take Game One At Dallas

The Phoenix Suns claimed Game One of the Western Conference Finals Wednesday night, beating the Dallas Mavericks 121-118. Dallas appeared to have the game in hand with as little as four minutes remaining, but Phoenix's Steve Nash went on a late tear, notching 10 points and an assist in the game's final 3:26, sparking the Suns to close the game with a 16-4 run. Even with the run, Phoenix still needed Boris Diaw to hit a game-winning jumper with 0:00.5 left, after a Devin Harris J gave the Mavericks a 118-117 lead with just four seconds to play. Thanks to their late heroics, the Suns take an all-important 1-0 series lead over Dallas.

In the losing effort, Harris scored a career-high 30 points, and Dirk Nowitzki poured in 25. For Phoenix, Nash finished with 27 points and 16 assists, Diaw scored a game-high 34, and Shawn Marion scored 24 with 13 rebounds.

The series will reconvene on Friday, May 26 for Game Two in Dallas.

Source

• http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=260524006

Date

Wed 05/24/06, 7:39 pm EST

Davis21wylieMVP

1284 days ago

Score 1

That was the objective version, now here's the subjective:

Much like the other Most Annoying Thing on Television -- WB's insipid 7th Heaven (which, despite promises of a "series finale" was exhumed for at least another year), the Phoenix Suns just won't die. They've got more lives than Shirley MacLaine: They survived Kobe's onslaught... They survived the Clips' "Team of Destiny" (at least, to hear Bill Simmons tell it)... And now, despite the big giant fork sticking out of them with three minutes left in Game One, they came back and beat Dallas. All with the glib smugness of a**holes like Tim Thomas, no less. I couldn't even take pleasure in a Raja Bell injury because the Suns were in the midst of staging their run at the same time. But maybe there's an answer: Avery Johnson should call Jason Miller and Max von Sydow, and exorcise these damned Suns straight out of the postseason. "The power of Christ compels you!" Take that, Tim Thomas!

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CoreyisarealboyMajor Leaguer

1284 days ago

Score 0

I know the 35 points Boris Diaw put up is very unlike him, but when a guy has blown up for 35 you have to put someone on him better than Stackhouse. That was the poorest defensive matching up I've seen in a while.

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DammskippySoccer Kid

1284 days ago

Score 1

That's what I love about both the Suns and the Mavs...seeing bright young talent like Devin Harris and Boris Diaw exploding for huge numbers and absolutely making people pay for doubling Dirk and Nash.

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Wtt02005Varsity

1277 days ago

Score 2

I knew this was not a game that Dallas would win because it was so Harris centered. Dallas' points should mainly come from Dirk, Howard, and Terry.

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