Suns stop Nuggets 101-85

By Benjamin Hochman
The Denver Post

PHOENIX — Muhammad Ali sat courtside Monday night while the Suns Sonny Listoned the Nuggets.

Denver actually led by 13 points in the second quarter, but the visitors were outscored 33-11 in that quarter, arguably their worst of the season, and the result never got any better in a 101-85 loss to Phoenix.

Monday was Denver's fourth game in five days — in four different cities — and it sure looked like it.

All-star Carmelo Anthony couldn't get into a rhythm, shooting 7-for-21 (17 points), a day after Ron Artest spent the afternoon seemingly up inside Anthony's jersey, as Melo went just 7-for-19 in a loss to the Lakers at L.A.

Grant Hill, whom the Nuggets tried to get last summer, entered the game with an 11.4 scoring average and finished with 19 points, which included making all seven of his free throws.

The teams split their first two matchups this season, both at the Pepsi Center, and now the Suns join the Kings as the only teams to beat Denver twice this season.

The Nuggets (39-21) come back to Phoenix for the last game of the regular season April 13.

The loss, coupled with the victory by the Dallas Mavericks (40-21) against Charlotte, dropped the Nuggets to third place in the Western Conference