Nets coach Steve Nash has special memories of Phoenix
Steve Nash was reliving special memories when entering the place he called home for his best years in the NBA.
"This place means a lot to me obviously," he said before the game. "Had some incredible years here. Incredible teams. Teammates. Coaches. The organization was first class and the fans here are fantastic. I lived here for 10 years. Loved it. Loved every minute of it."
He left feeling even better. Without Kevin Durant (hamstring) and Kyrie Irving (back), Nash's Brooklyn Nets came back from 24 points down in the first half to stun Phoenix, 128-124, Tuesday night at Phoenix Suns Arena in the second of a backto-back in a nationally televised game on TNT.
"All vibes in there right now, all vibes," said a smiling Nash after the game. "Guys are rightfully excited. Great moral. Finding a way to make up a 24-point deficit. Showed a lot of character, a lot of heart and as a coaching staff, that makes you proud."
James Harden scored a gamehigh 38 points as his 3 gave Brooklyn (18-12), winners of four straight, its first lead of the game, 126-124, with 31.4 seconds left.
"It's the true definition of a team," Harden said. "One, two men go down, next man up. Tonight was a perfect example of that. Got down 20-something at halftime and we didn't give up. We didn't quit and kept fighting. Cut the deficit down and kept fighting and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end of the game and things went our way."
Chris Paul led Phoenix (17-10) with 29 and Devin Booker added 22 as Suns had their six-game winning streak snapped before 3,181 fans to end a seven-game homestand.
The Suns doubled their fan limit amid COVID-19 pandemic from 1,500 to 3,000 starting with Tuesday's game.
TIMBERWOLVES: Minnesota Timberwolves point guard D'Angelo Russell will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and be sidelined for four to six weeks, the team announced. Russell, who has missed the last three games due to soreness in his left leg, was diagnosed with a loose body in his knee. The procedure will take place Wednesday. Russell, who turns 25 next week, is averaging 19.3 points and 5.1 assists this season on 42.6% shooting. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft had quadriceps soreness in his right leg earlier that kept him out for four games.
Late Tuesday
PELICANS 144, GRIZZLIES
113: Zion Williamson scored 31 points while dominating inside, and the New Orleans Pelicans finished with a season high in points while ending a three-game skid with a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
RAPTORS 124, BUCKS 113: Fred VanVleet scored 33 points, Pascal Siakam added 23 and the Toronto Raptors withstood the loss of Kyle Lowry to beat the slumping Milwaukee Bucks. Lowry exited with a sore left ankle in the third quarter but had 18 points, six rebounds and six assists in 22 minutes. The ankle problem caused Lowry to go to the locker room late in the first half, though he returned to start the third quarter.
CELTICS 112, NUGGETS 99: Jaylen Brown had 27 points and eight assists to help the Boston Celtics withstand a 43-point night from Nikola Jokic and beat the Denver Nuggets. Jayson Tatum added 21 points and eight assists as Boston bounced back following two anemic performances in back-to-back losses to Detroit and Washington — the Eastern Conference's bottom two teams.
LAKERS 112, TIMBERWOLVES 104: LeBron James had 30 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, and Dennis Schröder scored 24 points, helping the Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves.