--Phoenix won despite the absence of shooting guard Jason Richardson, who must sit out the first two games of the season to serve an NBA suspension for off-the-court problems last season. Leandro Barbosa started in place of Richardson and Jared Dudley also saw time at the No. 2 spot. Richardson will miss Friday's game against his former team (Golden State) but is eligible to return Sunday when the Suns host Minnesota. --The Suns also played the season opener without head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson, who stayed behind with his wife, Jessica, for the birth of their second child. --The Suns opened the regular season with a road win for the third straight season. Last year, they won in San Antonio and in 2007-08, then beat the then-Supersonics in Seattle.
--As expected, Phoenix picked up the 2010-11 options on center Robin Lopez ($1.867 million) and forward Jared Dudley ($2.151 million) but declined the option on disappointing 2007 first-rounder Alando Tucker ($1.934 million). Tucker didn't play in the season opener and is not in the rotation coach Alvin Gentry plans for this season.
--The preseason worries of Phoenix's defense are certainly still there as the Clippers shot 56 percent from the field and scored many of their 107 points on easy, uncontested shots. The defense was decidedly better when reserves Jared Dudley Earl Clark and Goran Dragic were on the floor, but those guys will be sitting on the bench down the stretch. Clark, Dragic and Dudley were a combined plus-31 while on the floor, while the starters were a combined minus-21.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I went to the (old-)guy-at-the-YMCA shot and I was lucky to make something happen. We scrapped, we fought and we swung the ball to L.B. (Leandro Barbosa) for a big three-pointer as well. It was a great effort." -- Suns guard Steve Nash, on his game-winning shot with five seconds left.
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