Suns Go Down To Hornets In 2 OT
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Playing the Charlotte Hornets for an extra 10 minutes is proving to be a waste of time for their opponents.
Charlotte ran its all-time record in double-overtime games to 5-0 on Tuesday night as Glen Rice scored 13 of the Hornets' final 26 points and wound up with 42 in a 120-113 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
"We're in great shape as a team and we like playing this type of game," Rice said. "We feel like it helps our character. Of course, we don't want this to happen all the time, but when it does, we feel like we're up to the challenge."
Rice, named an Eastern Conference All-Star earlier in the day, was held to seven points in the first half on 2-for-8 shooting. He made 13 of 21 the rest of the way as the Hornets won for the fourth time in five games.
"It's great when you feel like every shot's going in, when you feel like nothing can go wrong," Rice said. "I felt stronger as the game went along. I really wanted the ball."
The Suns, who one night earlier opened an 11-day, seven-game East Coast swing with a victory in Atlanta, were outscored by Charlotte 14-7 in the second extra period.
"We ran out of gas," said Suns forward Antonio McDyess, who didn't stick around long enough to get completely drained. He scored a season-high 30 points before fouling out with 1:44 left in regulation.
Rex Chapman added 20 points and Steve Nash had 18. Danny Manning had 10 of his 16 in the two overtimes.
"This is as good as it gets in the NBA, with Glen for us and Danny Manning for them, and all of the shots were contested, too," Charlotte coach Dave Cowens said. "Any time you win a game like this, it really makes you believe you can win against anybody."
Anthony Mason added 20 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for Charlotte, and Matt Geiger had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Rice scored 10 of Charlotte's 12 points in the first extra period, when there were five lead changes and four ties.
Mason scored the first three points of the second overtime session, giving the Hornets their biggest lead of the game to that point.
Charlotte pushed its' lead to six points twice before Rice's free throw with five seconds remaining accounted for the final margin.
McDyess, who got into foul trouble Monday night and scored just two points in the Suns' victory in Atlanta, played 40 minutes before fouling out. He hit 14 of 20 field-goal attempts and added 12 rebounds and five blocks.
McDyess did most of his damage in the first half, when he hit 11 of 15 shots, including six dunks, and powered a 13-7 run that helped Phoenix build a 12-point lead.