Suns notebook: Fracas helps unite Phoenix

For years, the Suns ran circles around Yao Ming and Houston with their unconventional lineup and overwhelming athleticism.

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But the new-look Suns tried to run through the Rockets Wednesday and when push came to shove — and eventually, scratch, headlock and tackle — their power game wasn’t nearly as effective.

But the late-night skirmish that left Matt Barnes ejected and Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal in the heat of the fracas might succeed in doing to the locker room what the so far fractured Suns haven’t managed on the floor. It might make them a tighter team.

Barnes, who was ejected for leading with his forearm through a Rafer Alston pick (Alston was also tossed), said it was “good to see everyone being there for each other. That’s how you build a team.”

O’Neal, who jumped to Nash’s aid after he got into a tussle with Tracy McGrady, told Nash afterward he’d be there the next time, too.

“I like that. That was the first time I’ve seen some fire, to be honest with you. We had some life about us,” Suns coach Terry Porter said. “You don’t want to encourage it, but it’s great to see that everyone had each other’s back.”

Before the confrontation, Porter saw a different team. “We went through stretches where we had the 'whole world is against us’ type of mentality. Instead of rallying together, we kind of went the other way.”

When the topic turned from defending each other to offense following the 94-82 loss to the Rockets, the unity wasn’t as visible. O’Neal and Amaré Stoudemire talked about how the game is won from the inside out, while Nash, Raja Bell, Grant Hill and others are pushing for a more wide-open attack. Hopes for bipartisan basketball continue tonight in Sacramento against the Kings.

Porter doesn’t buy the lack of continuity as a culprit against Houston. He said his team’s anemic 82-point offensive effort was more a matter of missed shots (especially inside) and turnovers, than a lack of identity.

“Our offense gave us good shots, we just didn’t make them,” he said. “We had 41 shots in the paint, and only made 18 of them (44 percent). They had 33 shots, and they made 22 of them (67 percent). That’s an area where we had been dominating.

Everybody took turns missing for us, and then you compound it with them making some really tough shots, especially in the third period.”

TELL IT TO THE JUDGE

Before flying back to the Bay Area to see his week-old twin boys Thursday, Barnes spoke to NBA security — as did Nash and O’Neal — to give their statement on Wednesday’s incident.

Barnes led the NBA with five flagrant fouls last year but has never been suspended for any incident. He said he doesn’t expect that to change this time, since no foul was called on the play and he was surprised to be ejected.

“Really it was procedure, just to give my side of the story,” Barnes said. “I would be surprised (to be suspended). It was really just pushing. Usually you have to throw a punch to get kicked out of a game or suspended, but you never know. Hopefully, it ends there, but it’s up to the league.”

Barnes said the Rockets “pretty much manhandled us.” But he bristled when he was told Alston called his aggressive move “a cheap shot.”

“Me and him have a history, we go back and forth,” Barnes said. “He hit me earlier, and I got him back. That’s how it happens. He knows I wasn’t trying to hurt him. If I was trying to hurt him, I could have hurt him. I was just trying to get through a screen.”

BENCH BLUES

Hill was scoreless for a second straight game against Houston. Robin Lopez missed his only field-goal attempt — a dunk he slammed off the heel of the rim. Boris Diaw made one basket and had zero assists in 14 minutes. Leandro Barbosa needed 15 shots and eight free throws to score 18 points.

That was the story for the Suns’ second unit Wednesday. Other than a nice first-half sequence from Goran Dragic (six points on two jumpers and a drive) and Louis Amundson (six points in the final six minutes), the bench struggles continue.

“I worry about all the guys on the bench. Every game it seems to be someone different,” Porter said. “I don’t know if Grant got enough shots (four) but you can’t always control that. We liked the matchup with L.B. We thought he could be effective and in stretches he was.”

Suns at Kings

When: 8 p.m. tonight

Where: ARCO Arena, Sacramento

Radio: KTAR (620 AM)

TV: My45 (Channel 9)

Records: Suns 6-3; Kings 4-5

History: The Suns lead the overall series 112-71 and have won nine of the last 10 meeting. Phoenix swept the season series (4-0) for the first time since 1999-2000 last year.

Suns notes: A trip to Sacramento never seems easy for the Suns, but with Detroit (Sunday), Utah (Monday) and the L.A. Lakers (Thursday) looming on the schedule, Phoenix needs to follow up Wednesday’s 94-82 stinker against Houston with a better effort. Grant Hill went scoreless for the second straight game — the first time that’s happened in his NBA career. The Suns shot 55.4 percent from the floor during a 4-1 start, but have slumped to 42.6 percent over the last four and are averaging 94 points a game. Since pouring in 49 points against Indiana on Nov. 5, Amare Stoudemire has scored 26, 24, 18 and a season-low 11 against Houston.

Kings notes: The Kings finally won a road game Wednesday, using a career-high 30 points from guard Beno Udrih to beat the lowly Clippers 103-98 in Los Angeles, their first win in five tries away from home. Sacramento won without leading scorer Kevin Martin (sprained left ankle) and has now gone 4-1 since a nasty 0-4 start. Rookie Jason Thompson started for Martin and contributed 16 points and 11 rebounds. Martin isn’t expected to play tonight and another player who gives Phoenix trouble, guard Francisco Garcia, hasn’t played yet this season due to a strained right calf.