Suns Slide By Clippers

As they trailed the lowly Los Angeles Clippers by three points going into the last quarter, the Phoenix Suns badly needed a wakeup call.

They got one. It came from Jason Kidd.

The veteran point guard got the Suns out of a three-quarter funk with 15 fourth-quarter points and led Phoenix to an 88-83 victory Tuesday night.

Kidd and Cliff Robinson each finished with 22 points as the Suns won for only the second time in their last six games and avoided dropping to what would have been a season-low four games below .500.

"It was just time to make something happen," Kidd said. "We hadn't played with a lot of intensity, but we knew we had a chance to win if we got going. I felt it was my job to get us going."

Kidd's free throw with 9:53 left in the game started a 6-0 run over the next 2:09 that gave Phoenix the lead for good, carrying the Suns from a 69-68 deficit to a 74-69 lead.

Phoenix won going away and led by 11 points in the last minute to beat the Clippers for the third time in as many meetings this year.

"You can't give a guy like Jason that kind of opening, but we did," Clippers forward Rodney Rogers said. "Once Jason got his game going, he got everybody on that team going. They got the momentum and they never gave it back until it was too late."

The fourth-quarter run ended what had been a frustrating night for the Suns, who didn't get their offense going for three quarters.

Coach Danny Ainge was also given two technical fouls and was ejected with 3:26 remaining in the third quarter. The fouls blunted a rally in which the Suns had closed within 59-58.

Eric Piatkowski, who tied a career high with 29 points, hit two free throws to give the Clippers some breathing room and Rogers' dunk gave them a five-point lead with 3:17 left in the quarter.

"I deserved the first tehnical, but I didn't deserve the second one," said Ainge, who was arguing a foul called on George McCloud. "It was a farce that I was ejected from that game."

McCloud and Danny Manning added 13 points each for Phoenix, while Michael Olowokandi had 11 for Los Angeles.

Piatkowski scored 14 points in the first half as the Clippers took command early.

Lamond Murray hit a 23-foot jumper with 6:55 remaining in the second quarter to give Los Angeles a 38-28 lead.

Turnovers kept the Suns from coming any closer than seven points the rest of the half.

Notes: Clippers rookie swingman Tyrone Nesby is making a name for himself after going undrafted out of UNLV. Over his last eight games, Nesby has averaged just under 13 points. "The kid just continues to shine," Clippers coach Chris Ford said. "It's a pleasure to see how hard he plays the game." ... An MRI on Tom Gugliotta's right knee showed he only bruised it in Friday's loss to the Lakers. The veteran forward missed his second straight game because of the injury. ... The Suns were also without veteran guard Rex Chapman, who is out with a sore left big toe. ... Clippers forward Maurice Taylor missed the start because of tendinitis in his right Achille's tendon. He is listed day-to-day. ... The Suns played their final game in the aged Los Angeles Sports Arena which has been the butt of jokes around the NBA for years. That's good news for Ainge. "If this is my last visit, then it's my best memory of this place," Ainge said. The Clippers will move into the new Staples Center in October.

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