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Anthony Leads Magic to Victory, Suns Fall for First Time 
Posted on June 8, 2011 at 02:11 PM.
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Phoenix Suns win streak to begin the season ended at 11, as they fell 104-102 to the Orlando Magic on Thursday night at the Amway Arena. Carmelo Anthony led the way for the Magic, who improved to 3-9, with 41 points on the night.

“It feels really good to get back in the win column,” Anthony said following the upset victory over the Suns. “They (Phoenix) are a real good team, and it took a huge effort tonight to get the win.”

The Syracuse product scored 21 of his 41 points in an explosive first quarter that saw Orlando grab a lead as large as 13. Anthony’s outburst, coupled with Phoenix’s poor shooting in the first quarter (38%) put the visitors in an early hole.

The Suns did fight back into the game, however, as Kevin Durant scored 14 of his team-high 27 points in the second quarter, that saw Phoenix take a one point lead into the locker room at the half on the back of a Nick Young three-pointer.

The Magic came out inspired in the third period, as they opened play on a 10-0 run, keyed by Steve Nash, both as a scorer as well as a distributor, as he finished with 23 points and a team-high 10 assists.

Dirk Nowitzki finished with 27 points, and poured in 15 of them in the third quarter, as Phoenix finished it strong to take a seven point advantage into the fourth.

“We didn’t finish tonight,” a dejected Nowitzki told reporters in the Suns locker room following the team’s first loss of the season. “Give Orlando credit though, they are much better than their record indicates. We started slow, and finished poorly, that doesn’t typically translate into many victories.”

The Magic fought back within three points and then rookie Evan Turner buried a three-pointer to knot things at 92 with 4:34 remaining. Phoenix pulled ahead by two and kept it there for the next few minutes, until Anthony drilled a mid-range jumper from the corner to tie the game at 98 with just 1:11 left in the fourth.

Nowitzki’s jumper put the Suns back up by two at 100-98 with 43 seconds left, but then with a chance to break the tie at 100 a few possessions later he missed with 33 seconds remaining from the same spot.

Andray Blatche converted a putback off of an Anthony miss with 18 seconds left to put the Magic on top 102-100. That’s when Nowitzki struck again in the clutch, scoring in the paint thanks to a great inbounds play and finished well at the rim to tie the game with under six seconds to play.

Blatche, the unlikeliest of heroes for Orlando nailed a jumpshot from the corner as Anthony was doubled with just two seconds to play to put Orlando up for good. Nowitzki had the chance to tie, but missed his contested fallaway jumper from about 18 feet, sending the Suns to their first defeat of 2010.

The Suns (11-1) next travel to Charlotte to take on Chris Bosh, Deron Williams and the Bobcats (6-5) on Saturday night. Orlando (3-9) will be in Indianapolis on Saturday as they battle Devin Harris, Jason Terry and the Pacers (4-6).

Nov 18, 2010 - PHX at ORL
TEAM1ST2ND3RD4THSCORE
Phoenix Suns (11-1)22292724102
Orlando Magic (3-9)30202133104
Phoenix Suns
STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
Kirk Hinrich274-80-02-241221610
Marcus Thornton306-112-22-23411516
Kevin Durant3413-241-40-06133427
Dirk Nowitzki2812-242-41-19211127
Tyson Chandler292-20-00-0621014
BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
Nick Young114-82-30-03000010
Barndon Bass133-70-00-0310006
Omer Asik120-00-00-0410100
Daniel Gibson131-40-00-0340032
James Jones40-00-00-0100010
Thabo Sefalosha30-00-00-0010000
Matt Bonner - DNP----------
TEAM TOTALS45-887-135-542288721102
Orlando Magic
STARTERSMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
Steve Nash349-163-82-261020423
Evan Turner306-141-41-13420214
Carmelo Anthony3219-361-32-210341241
Andray Blatche305-110-11-19320311
Jermaine O'Neal332-80-00-0822004
BENCHMINFGM-A3PM-AFTM-AREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS
Travis Outlaw90-30-30-0211100
Ed Davis90-00-02-2000002
Jordan Crawford112-51-22-2010017
Josh Powell40-00-00-0001000
Steve Blake70-40-32-2100002
Eddy Curry6 0-00-00-0100000
Gary Forbes - DNP----------
TEAM TOTALS43-976-2412-12402414212104
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