New Jersey Nets (3-37) at Phoenix Suns (24-18), 9 p.m.
Sports Network | January 20, 2010
(Sports Network) - You can bet the Phoenix Suns are happy to get back to the desert after a miserable road trip. They are likely even happier knowing the hapless New Jersey Nets await them.
The Suns finished an 0-4 trek in Memphis on Monday when Rudy Gay poured in a game-high 31 points while pulling down nine rebounds, as the Grizzlies continued their solid play at home with a 125-118 victory over Phoenix.
Steve Nash finished with 22 points and 12 assists for the Suns. Robin Lopez, who was inserted into the starting lineup, had a career-high 19 points to go with seven boards while Grant Hill tallied 16 points and eight rebounds in defeat.
The struggling Suns were once 14-3 this season but have gone just 10-15 since then, losing 11 of their last 12 away from Phoenix.
"We have to be able to come up with stops. We gave up 37 points in the fourth quarter. That's way too many," Suns head coach Alvin Gentry said.
The Nets, meanwhile, remain on pace to set the NBA's single-season mark for futility after dropping the opener of a four-game road trip in Los Angeles on Monday.
Chris Kaman returned from a four-game absence to score 22 points and pace the Clippers to a 106-95 victory over New Jersey in that one.
Robin's brother, Brook Lopez, had 23 points and eight rebounds for the Nets, who fell to a miserable 3-37 on the season and a 1-20 on the road. Kris Humphries added 21 points and seven boards off the bench in the loss, New Jersey's eighth straight overall.
"We gave up 39 points in the first quarter," Nets guard Devin Harris said. "We gave them too much confidence. We have to find a better way to start the game."
The Nets, who officially reach the mid-point of their season tonight, are on pace to finish with the most losses in NBA history, breaking the mark set by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, who finished 9-73.
