After trailing much of the game by anywhere from eight to fifteen points, the Phoenix Suns rallied in the fourth quarter to nip the Chicago Bulls tonight, 97-96. Actually, rallied may not be the right word. It was more o####radual overtaking of the game.

In the first half, Shawn Marion stood head and shoulders above the other Suns with his defense, steals, rebounding, and general flat-out hustle. The Suns were playing with a lot of energy, but it was apparent midway through the first quarter that the Bulls were playing very well, and the Suns had their work cut out for them. To the Bulls credit, every time the Suns closed the gap to five or seven points, the Bulls responded, pushing the lead back up to ten or twelve. Ben Gordon would finish with a career high 41 points, including two free throws with five seconds left to put the Bulls up by two. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The Suns won this game with their fourth quarter defense, timely offense, both inside and outside, and some big performances on the glass. Amare Stoudemire had a put back off a missed Leandro Barbosa drive late in the fourth to get the Suns within two. Boris Diaw, with only his sixth made three-pointer of the season, drilled one to tie the game with less than a minute left. And after Gordon’s free throws following a foul by Steve Nash put the Bulls up by two, the Suns ran a play that resulted in Barbosa nailing a three with just over a second left. After a Bulls timeout, Barbosa got his hand on the ball as Gordon went up for a shot as time expired, which sent the Bulls faithful home feeling empty, considering they had led the entire game. The Suns played stellar defense down the stretch, which resulted in their win.

This was the best win of the season for the Suns. Not their most well played game. Not their best offensive performance by any means, but their best win, no doubt. As the second half wore on, it appeared that they were headed for a loss, which considering that they were on the road against a good, tough team, would not have been the end of the world. But to the surprise of many who saw the game, the Suns pulled it out. And showed that they have their eyes on the prize.

This was a statement game, and it’s a shame if you missed it. Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, Leandro Barbosa, and Boris Diaw all stepped up at different times. Steve Nash had an average game for him, which makes the win that much more impressive.

Thanks for taking the time to read.