Suns notebook: Ejections becoming a concern

For the second time in as many games and the fifth time this season, the Suns had a player ejected Friday night.

SLIDESHOW: Suns vs. Clippers

Three days after Amaré Stoudemire was sent off in Memphis, Matt Barnes was kicked out with the Suns up 20 points and just 4:36 left to play. Barnes, who left the arena without talking to reporters, has now tied Stoudemire for the team and league lead with two ejections.

Barnes got his first technical in the second period before being sent off by referee Brian Forte for arguing an off-the-ball foul. Shaquille O’Neal also has one ejection this season, which came after a flagrant foul.

“There is no need for Matt in that situation — we’re up by 20 points — to be complaining about a call,” Suns coach Terry Porter said. “We have to be smarter than that. We’re letting that kind of stuff get to us, and we’ve got to stop it.

Stoudemire, who has eight technical fouls already this season and failed to finish either game on the recent road trip (fouled out in Oklahoma City, ejected in Memphis), barely escaped unscathed Friday. He finished with five fouls and has gone to applauding the referees for calls he finds objectionable.

“Ejections are starting to be contagious around here,” Stoudemire said, laughing. “I was trying to be the peacemaker tonight, but it didn’t work too well. I’m just playing basketball, but I’m laughing now in an attempt to keep my composure. I’ll get out of it — nothing to be concerned about — as long as I don’t get ejected again.”

LOUIS, LOUIS

Porter wasn’t upset with everyone’s effort Friday. Coming off the first double-digit scoring game of his career, Louis Amundson was strong again with nine points on 4-for-5 shooting and five rebounds in 20 minutes, finishing an alley-oop dunk on one play that energized the crowd.

“Lou was great,” Porter said. “A couple of fast-break situations, I was cringing on the sideline when he had the ball in his hands, but other than that he did a great job of doing what he does — energy, rebounding, keeping the ball alive and finishing around the rim.”

Four of Amundson’s rebounds were on the offensive glass, and only an awful night at the free-throw line (1-for-6) kept him from another career high in points.

“When I’m given the chance to get out there, I’m going to do all that I can to be aggressive and change the game a little bit by bringing energy,” Amundson said. “I think I did that tonight.”

BONUS SHOTS

The Suns played only their fourth game within the Pacific Division on Friday. They are now 2-2, with both losses coming to the Lakers.

The Suns are now 8-3 since their four-game losing streak and 6-2 since Jason Richardson joined the team — including the buzzer-beating loss to the Spurs on Christmas Day.

The Suns reached 100 points for the 10th time in the last 11 games and are 10-2 when they hold the opponent to double-digit points.

The Suns recalled swingman Alando Tucker from Iowa of the NBADL on Friday. He appeared in two games for the Energy this week before returning to Phoenix. He dressed for the game with the Clippers, while guard Dee Brown was inactive.