LOS ANGELES -- Steve Nash had 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter and Alando Tucker scored all of his 14 points in the final period in the Phoenix Suns' 98-88 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday.
Boris Diaw, who has started all six games for the Suns at center while Amare Stoudemire recovers from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, had four points in 22 minutes. Grant Hill played just 11 minutes and had six points. It was the first time in six games during the preseason that the up-tempo Suns didn't score at least 100.
Jason Richardson led Charlotte with 23 points. Emeka Okafor had 17 points and 12 rebounds after playing 15 scoreless minutes Saturday in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Walter Herrmann grabbed 14 rebounds for the Bobcats.
Phoenix led 73-66 after three quarters. Coach Mike D'Antoni rested his starters in the fourth, but the Bobcats got no closer than four with just less than 9 minutes remaining.
Tucker and D.J. Strawberry scored all of Phoenix's points during a 12-5 spurt that extended the Suns' margin to 11 at 87-76 with 4:41 to play. Strawberry, the son of former baseball star Darryl Strawberry, contributed a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws. Tucker also drained a three, along with a 19-footer and layup.
Strawberry helped seal the win on a three-point play with 42 seconds left after the Bobcats cut it to 91-86. Turner added a pair of baskets in the final 31 seconds -- including a vicious slam dunk off an alley-oop feed from Leandro Barbosa.
Nash put the Suns ahead for good with two 3-pointers in the final 29 seconds of the second quarter, including a running 28-foot bank shot with a second on the clock that gave them a 46-42 lead.
The back-to-back treys capped a first half in which Phoenix shot only 39 percent from the field. The Suns turned the ball over just three times in the half, while converting 10 Charlotte turnovers into 16 points.
The Bobcats played without reserve forward Adam Morrison, who is likely done for the season after an MRI on Sunday revealed a partial to complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The injury occurred in the third quarter of Saturday night's 113-93 loss to the Lakers in the annual Staples Center Shootout.
Morrison, the third overall pick in the 2006 draft, remained at the team's hotel Sunday. He will fly back to Charlotte with his teammates on Monday and be re-examined by team physician Dr. Glenn Perry. A date for surgery will be determined once the swelling in Morrison's knee subsides.
"He really came back with a positive attitude and we were really looking forward to working with him this year," coach Sam Vincent said. "Now we'll have to regroup and move forward. The most important thing for him is to really focus on the rehab and stay positive about coming back and helping the team next year."
