Chambers Scores 38 to Lead Suns to Easy Victory Over Jazz in Tokyo
The Phoenix Suns, led by Tom Chambers, started the NBA season half a world away from home Friday night with a 119-96 victory over the Utah Jazz in the first regular-season NBA game held outside North America.
A sellout crowd of 10,111 at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, paying as much as $175 a seat, was predominantly young Japanese.
The game was close during the first half before the Suns pulled away with a 19-2 run late in the third quarter, giving Phoenix an 85-70 lead that was never threatened.
Chambers scored eight of his 38 points during the run. He scored 27 points in the second half when the Suns outscored the Jazz, 61-39, after leading only by one at halftime.
Karl Malone led the Jazz with 33 points, 26 in the first half.
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