ROTATION: Starters -- Point guard Steve Nash, Shooting guard Raja Bell, Small forward Matt Barnes, Power forward Amare Stoudemire, Center Shaquille O'Neal. Bench ? Forward Boris Diaw, Guard Sean Singletary, Guard Leandro Barbosa, Forward Grant Hill, center Robin Lopez.
PLAYER NOTES: --F Amare Stoudemire had only his second double-figure rebounding game since Nov. 5. After going to the free throw line only 49 times in the last 10 games, he visited the stripe 10 times in the first quarter alone.
But as with the Suns, Sunday night didn't end well for him. He missed all four shots from the field in the fourth quarter and his ejection with 3:24 left in the game crippled his team down the stretch.
Stoudemire has done a good job of keeping his emotions and fouls under control this season, but that's slipped a little of late. And while his ejection appeared to be a quick trigger by referee Derek Richardson, it capped a night where most of the Suns' problems were self-inflicted.
"You can't do that. You can't get kicked out," Suns coach Terry Porter said.
Stoudemire took the ball to the basket early, bulling his way to the hoop and putting three New Jersey big men in foul trouble single-handedly.
"I felt great. I was doing everything I could to key us to a win, playing extremely hard and playing off emotion," said Stoudemire, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds. "It's tough to deal with. We had the game under control, we played well at times, but in the end it's just another loss."
--G Steve Nash was a game-time decision with a thigh contusion that forced him to wear a heavy protective pad. But Nash was able to put up a season-high 26 points although he put up a rare 20 shots to get it accomplished.
"It's getting better every day," Nash said. "I didn't take a hit on it, and now I have a couple of days to get better so hopefully I can put it behind me."
--C Shaquille O'Neal figured to have a big game against rookie Brook Lopez inside. But even with a day of rest, O'Neal took only six shots and finished with nine points and five rebounds in 26 minutes.
--F Matt Barnes continued his strong shooting from the outside with four 3-pointers in six tries against the Nets. He finished with 18 points and eight rebounds in 35 minutes, but committed four of Phoenix's 22 turnovers.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--G Alando Tucker (left knee) underwent successful arthroscopic surgery last week, and is due back the week after Thanksgiving.
