Suns Nash, Stoudemire make All-NBA 2nd team

Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash and center Amare Stoudemire were named to the All-NBA Second Team, the league announced today.

Nash earned his sixth career All-NBA Team selection for a season in which he averaged 16.9 points and a team-high 11.1 assists (2nd-NBA), the first player since Magic Johnson in 1990-91 to average 11 or more assists and not lead the league. Nash, 34, tallied a career-high 898 assists in 2007-08, second-most in a single-season in franchise history, and moved into 15th place on the NBA’s all-time assist list.

The 6-3, 178-pound playmaker joined NBA legend Larry Bird (1986-87, 1987-88) this season as the only players in league history to shoot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line in multiple seasons (2005-06). The six-time All-Star shot a career-high 47.0 percent (2nd-NBA) from three-point range en route to a career-best 179 three-pointers made.

Stoudemire, 25, earned his third All-NBA Team center selection of his six-year career. Stoudemire was named to the first tam in 2006-07. Just two seasons removed from microfracture knee surgery, the 6-10, 245-pound center averaged team-highs of 25.2 points (5th-NBA), 9.1 rebounds (19th) and a career-high 2.06 blocks (6th) in becoming the first NBA player since Tim Duncan in 2001-02 to average at least 25 points, nine boards and two blocks.

Stoudemire, who received the most First Team votes of any player not on the first tam (30), was the NBA’s leading scorer among all centers and power forwards in 2007-08. He is now one of just nine players in franchise history to average 20 or more points for a career (21.0).

The All-NBA First Team includes the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, Boston’s Kevin Garnett, Orlando’s Dwight Howard, Cleveland’s LeBron James and New Orleans’ Chris Paul.