Phoenix at New Orleans

[Real Deal]

TIME: 8:00 PM ET

TV: NBA TV

[Built Ford Tough]

NEW ORLEANS -- Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry never had a problem with his team's effort and figured it was only a matter of time before the Suns would snap out of their shooting slump and secure their first victory of the young season.

 

Hakim Warrick scored 18 points in a reserve role, Channing Frye added 10 points and 16 rebounds, and the Suns handed the New Orleans Hornets their first loss, 93-78.

 

"When you look at the schedule and you're 0-2, you think there's a chance you'll go 0-66," Gentry said. "You look at the schedule after you win and you say, `Oh, we can do this or we can do that.' It's all psychological ... though. You've just got to go out and play. We've been doing a good job of competing, but our offense has been so stagnant. Tonight, we got out and ran."

 

Jared Dudley added 16 points, while Steve Nash dished out 12 assists for the Suns, who had shot 40 percent through two losses to open the season, including one to New Orleans in their home opener Monday night.

 

"We made a few more shots, but more than that, we continually created offense," Nash said. "To be consistent in creating good offensive opportunities was a step in the right direction because in the first game against New Orleans, I thought we missed some shots we usually make. But in our second game (against Philadelphia), we just looked really hesitant, out of synch and kind of like we were dumbfounded a little bit."

 

Hornets shooting guard Eric Gordon missed a second straight game with a bruised right knee, and this time New Orleans could not compensate for the prolific scorer's absence.

 

Carl Landry led New Orleans with 17 points, while Emeka Okafor had 10 points and 16 rebounds, but the Hornets shot only 29 percent (26 of 90), the second worst shooting performance in team history

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/gametracker/recap/NBA_20111230_PHO@NO