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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns got a glimpse of life without Jason Kidd on Friday night, and it wasn't pretty.
|  | | Clifford Robinson's 30-point effort wasn't enough to help the Suns overcome the absence of Kidd and Gugliotta. |
Antawn Jamison had 24 points and 13 rebounds as the Golden State Warriors snapped a six-game losing streak with a 103-95 victory Friday night over the Kidd-less Suns.
Kidd was not in uniform after being arrested Thursday evening on
a charge of striking his wife. Suns owner Jerry Colangelo said it
was decided that he should sit out the game "due to the
circumstances at hand."
"Tonight they didn't have Kidd, and that guy controls so much
of how successful they are in what they do," Jamison said. "We
definitely felt like we could get it."
Rookie Marc Jackson added 20 points and a season-high 16
rebounds for the Warriors, who took control with a 20-3
fourth-quarter run after the Suns had rallied for a 77-74 lead.
The decisive surge featured a four-point play when Phoenix's Mario Elie drew two technical fouls in a 13-second span and was thrown out of the game.
"It was ridiculous," Elie said. "...It's hard to figure out what these officials are going through. Hopefully they can tighten their game up because they haven't been good this year, basically."
Bob Sura added 18 points and Mookie Blaylock 16 as the Warriors'
starting backcourt outscored the Suns starters Elie and Elliot
Perry 34-7.
Cliff Robinson scored 15 of his 30 points in the first quarter
for Phoenix. Rodney Rogers added 23 points, 16 in the fourth quarter. Shawn Marion had 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The Suns have not said whether Kidd will accompany the team when
it leaves Saturday on a six-game road trip, its longest of the season.
Coach Scott Skiles said the absence of Kidd and Tom Gugliotta, who is with his seriously ill mother, was no excuse for his team's performance. He noted that the Warriors are without five key players because of injuries.
"There's no excuse to play like that and lose to that team when
they're so depleted, because they're way more depleted than we
are," Skiles said.
Golden State won at Phoenix for the first time since March,
1995, a string of 11 games.
The Suns committed 24 turnovers and were outrebounded 46-36. Golden State made 31 of 34 free throws.
Coach Dave Cowens said the Warriors are much more experienced at
playing short-handed.
"I think their not being without Jason really affected them
getting the ball where they really wanted it," Cowens said. "I
told are guys we're used to playing with guys out and screwed up
lineups and all, that, and they're not so much. We know how to play
that game."
Phoenix trailed most of the game, but a 13-2 run gave the Suns a
77-74 lead on Rogers' three-point play with 10:35 to play. The
Warriors answered with a 20-3 surge to go up 94-80 on Jamison's
tip-in with 5:15 to go.
With 6:37 to go, 13 seconds after Elie drew his first technical,
Blaylock sank a 16-footer for Golden State. Robinson was called for
a foul on Jamison underneath on the shot, then Elie drew his second
technical and was ejected for slamming the ball off the basket
support.
Vinny Del Negro made one free throw, Jamison the other and with
the four-point play, the Warriors led 90-79.
Consecutive 3-pointers by Robinson and Tony Delk, followed by
Rogers' layup, cut it to 96-91 with 1:39 remaining, but the Suns could get closer.
The Warriors were up 72-64 when Sura made two free throws with
1:45 left in the period. But the Suns scored the final six of the
quarter, the last on Marion's steal and breakaway one-handed stuff,
to cut it to 72-70 entering the fourth.
The run reached 10-0 on Rogers' steal and stuff to give Phoenix
its first lead since early in the second quarter, 74-72, with 11:11
to play.
Game notes
The Suns also were without Tom Gugliotta, who left to be
with his seriously ill mother. ... Elliot Perry, out of basketball
after being cut by the Suns when Penny Hardaway returned briefly,
was re-signed Wednesday and started in place of Kidd. ... The
Warriors' last three victories were on the road. ... Jackson was
10-for-10 at the foul line.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Golden State Clubhouse
Phoenix Clubhouse
Kidd apologizes for arrest, sits out Friday's game
RECAPS
Philadelphia 97
New Jersey 86
Toronto 101
Washington 79
Milwaukee 105
Charlotte 98
New York 97
Detroit 91
Denver 91
Cleveland 88
Golden State 103
Phoenix 95
Minnesota 98
Seattle 93
Miami 97
Vancouver 86
LA Lakers 114
Houston 101
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Antawn Jamison Official Site
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