Struggling Suns Give Game Away to Jazz

After three quarters of close play, the cracks in the Suns' defense widened enough for the Jazz to march through, outscoring Phoenix 41-24 in the fourth on the way to a 126-118 victory. Amare Stoudemire had 37 points on 12-for-16 shooting and Shaquille O'Neal found his groove for 20 points, but all for naught, writes the Arizona Republic. In other NBA action:

• The Lakers put together a united front against the Clippers, with seven players scoring in the double digits to build up a 119-82 win, the largest margin of defeat for the two teams since 1986.
• Minnesota only had two wins in 28 road games this season, but with Sacramento in a 1-for-7 tailspin, the Timberwolves seized the opportunity for a 111-103 triumph.