LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns rebounded from their worst

loss of the season with a strong team effort.

Shawn Marion had 30 points and 17 rebounds, Leandro Barbosa had

21 off the bench, and Steve Nash added 20 points and 18 assists for

the Suns on Wednesday night in a 112-102 victory that ended the

Clippers' three-game winning streak.

"We have a lot of guys who can shoot the ball, and that's how

our team is built," said Nash, last season's MVP. "We don't

really have a post-up player, so we have to move the ball,

penetrate and kick, and create open shots for one another."

The Suns, who were coming off a season-worst 29-point loss at

Sacramento, increased their lead in the Pacific Division to 3½

games over the second-place Clippers with their 11th victory in 14

games. The only other time the teams have met this season was Dec.

10, when Los Angeles snapped Phoenix's nine-game winning streak

with a 101-91 victory that temporarily put the Clippers alone in

first place.

"We showed a lot of toughness and determination to come back

from last night and not allow that to carry over," Nash said.

Sam Cassell scored 27 points for the Clippers, who weren't able

to contain the NBA's highest-scoring teams. Elton Brand had 19

points, and Chris Kaman added 13 points and 17 rebounds.

Phoenix led by as many as 21 points early in the third quarter

before staving off a fourth-quarter rally by Los Angeles.

Clippers shooting guard Cuttino Mobley picked up two fouls in

the first 4:05 and didn't return to the court until the start of

the second half. He made his only basket in nine attempts with 9:01

remaining, as he converted a layup into a three-point play. That

triggered a 10-2 run that reduced a 14-point deficit to 100-94.

Rookie Daniel Ewing capped the rally with a 3-pointer -- the

Clippers' only one of the game -- but they got no closer.

"Me getting in foul trouble, that was the difference," Mobley

said. "I shouldn't put our team in that situation. The coach

relies on me doing different things on the court. Ad when I'm not

out there, we've got Sam playing with a bad back and a lot of young

guys out there. It's kind of hard to battle back when you ain't got

that much time."

The Suns, who averaged an NBA-best 9.71 baskets from 3-point

range last season, are leading the league again in that department.

They were 11-for-26 from behind the arc, while the Clippers were

1-for-7.

"We try to take what they give us," Nash said. "A lot of

times when we get the ball in the paint, they're going to leave our

3-point shooters open. We're confident with anyone taking a shot in

their comfort zone and we feel like we can create shots for one

another."

Cassell, who sat out practice Tuesday because of a sore back

after playing 43 minutes in Monday's overtime win over Utah,

received a technical foul from referee David Guthrie with 1.6

seconds left in the first quarter. Cassell responded with a

profanity, but escaped a second technical as Guthrie walked away.

Nash converted the free throw after Cassell's technical foul,

starting a 23-7 run that extended Phoenix's four-point lead to

51-31 with 7:26 left in the half. Barbosa made three driving layups

during the rally, which ended with 3-pointers 33 seconds apart by

James Jones and former Clipper Eddie House.

Suns chairman and CEO Jerry Colangelo is with the team on this

trip, and approached Brand before the game about the possibility of

playing in the Olympics. Colangelo is managing director for USA

Basketball, and is involved in the selection process for the squad

that will compete in the world championships and the 2008 Beijing

Games.

"The reason why I was meeting with him is that we have great

interest in him for what he is," said Colangelo, who is expected

to announce the first batch of camp invitees by the NBA All-Star

break in mid-February. "He's a competitor and he's a winner. He

plays a lot bigger than his size, and his shot has improved

tremendously. He would give the team we're trying to put together a

low post presence.

"If we send him an invitation, he's definitely indicated that

he would accept. He knows about the three-year commitment, he knows

what's expected of him, and he'd like the opportunity. He told me,

`If you invite me, I'm in."Game notes
Brand and Marion are among four players currently averaging

at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. The other two are Tim Duncan

and Kevin Garnett. ... The Suns had 32 assists and just nine

turnovers. They came in with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.96,

second best in the league behind Detroit (2.13).