Suns Get Worked Over After Nash Goes Down

After being run out of the building in a 35-point loss at Phoenix less than a week earlier, the Indiana Pacers set the tempo Friday night. It made all the difference.

Jermaine O’Neal had 29 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks in the Pacers’ 101-83 victory over the Suns, who have lost two in a row for only the second time this season.

When Steve Nash went down with an injury in the second quarter, Phoenix came unglued.

“Some people said we needed some adversity to become a good team,” Sun Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Well there’s some adversity for you.”

Nash, who leads the NBA in assists with 11.1 a game and sets the frenetic tempo for the Suns, left early in the second quarter because of a bruised left thigh and did not return.

Nash also had his nose bloodied in the first quarter and finished with 11 points in 11 minutes.

“Steve Nash is the motor that makes the car run,” O’Neal said. “They have a lot of great athletes and a lot of guys who can score and do special things, but without Steve Nash doing the things he does, it makes it tough for them to score.”

Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 26 points and 11 rebounds.

The Suns’ 83 points were 10 fewer than their previous season-low of 93 against Minnesota. The Suns shot only 39% from the field, and Quentin Richardson was 0 for 11.