Amare Stoudemire had 23 points and 11 rebounds, and Channing Frye made 5 of 6 3-pointers as the Phoenix Suns pulled to a 110-102 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday for a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semi-finals.
Steve Nash and Jason Richardson scored 19 points each and Grant Hill added 18 in a grind-it-out game played at the Spurs’ pace until the Suns started hitting 3-pointers. After starting one of seven from long range, Phoenix made eight of its next 12.
Tim Duncan had 29 points and 10 rebounds and Tony Parker added 20 points for the Spurs.
The best-of-seven series shifts to San Antonio for Game 3 tonight.
Manu Ginobili, guarded mainly by Hill, was 2 of 8 from the field, including just 1 of 2 in the second half, but had 11 assists for San Antonio.
The Spurs outshot Phoenix 51 percent to 42 percent, but the Suns outrebounded taller San Antonio 49-37, 18-7 on the offensive boards.
Stoudemire made just 5 of 16 shots, but was 11 of 13 at the free throw line. The Suns outscored the Spurs by 14 at the line, going 29 of 37 to San Antonio’s 15 of 22.
Referee Ron Garretson left the game after the third quarter with a leg injury. Fellow ref Joey Crawford said Garretson injured his Achilles’ tendon. Substitute referee David Jones worked the final quarter.
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