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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The Charlotte Hornets kept things simple
against the tired Phoenix Suns.
The Hornets cruised to a 100-79 victory with rapid-fire scoring
at the beginning of the second, third and fourth quarters Saturday
night. The Suns were playing their fourth game in five days.
|  | | Anthony Mason wraps a pass around Penny Hardaway. |
Eddie Jones led Charlotte's balanced attack with 20 points,
followed by Derrick Coleman with 19, Anthony Mason with 15, and
Brad Miller and Baron Davis with 13 each.
Anfernee Hardaway led the Suns with 24 points, Cliff Robinson
had 13, and Tom Gugliotta 13.
Phoenix trailed 52-49 on Hardaway's driving layup with 11:18
left in the third period, but Charlotte outscored the cold-shooting
Suns 11-0 over the next 4:28. Mason's reverse layup with 6:50 left
in the quarter gave the Hornets a 63-49 lead.
"We made a conscious effort to run up and down the court,"
said Jones, who scored at least 20 points for the 19th time this
season. "Once we started getting some easy baskets in transition,
we were able to stretch it out."
Charlotte's 21-point winning margin was its largest of the game.
The Hornets have won five straight against Phoenix at home dating
to March 17, 1996.
"We know how we feel when we play four games in five nights, so
we really wanted to take it to them," Hornets coach Paul Silas
said. "Phoenix was tired from a long road trip, but I liked the
way our guys played. We had a lot of inside production -- particularly from Anthony Mason and Derrick Coleman."
Charlotte also turned in one of its best defensive performances
of the season. After shooting 13-of-20 from the floor in the first
period, Phoenix connected on just 18-of-58 shots the rest of the
way.
"They're a good shooting basketball team, but I think we did a
great job on the perimeter," said Jones, who also had four steals.
"Every shot they took was challenged. I'm really satisfied with
the job we did."
Charlotte trailed 30-25 after the first period, but scored the
first 10 points of the second quarter to lead 35-30 on Baron Davis'
short-range bank shot 9:52 before halftime.
Hardaway's driving layup with 48.9 seconds left finished the
first-half scoring, and Charlotte led 52-47 at halftime.
"Teams are having runs in the second quarter that are making
close games into big leads for them," Hardaway said. "We were
also flat coming out for the second half. This is making us have to
battle uphill for the rest of the game. We're not giving our coach
the best effort."
Phoenix coach Scott Skiles said he was mystified by his team's
lackluster performance.
"I'm speechless right now," he said. "There's not much I can
say. Our execution right now is not good, and the more we work on
it, the worse it gets. We have to regroup. There's only one way we
can go from here, and that's up."
Charlotte held Phoenix to 4-of-17 shooting from the floor in the
second period, but the Suns stayed close by converting seven of 10
free throws in the quarter.
Robinson led Phoenix with 13 first-half points, followed by
Hardaway with 11.
Game notes
Charlotte went 2-8 after Jones, the team's leading scorer,
was sidelined Dec. 20 with an elbow ligament tear, but is 22-10
with Jones in the lineup.... Charlotte boasts the second best home
record in the Eastern Conference at 18-3.... Phoenix has Silas'
number. The Suns are 15-6 against the Charlotte coach, who set the
Phoenix franchise record for rebounds in a game with 27.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Phoenix Clubhouse
Charlotte Clubhouse
RECAPS
Detroit 90
Philadelphia 88
Minnesota 96
Utah 94
Toronto 106
Chicago 89
Indiana 94
Miami 84
Portland 81
San Antonio 67
Washington 103
Cleveland 98
Charlotte 100
Phoenix 79
Orlando 103
Atlanta 87
Dallas 107
Denver 96
Milwaukee 101
Seattle 99
LA Clippers 98
New Jersey 93
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