Spurs No Longer Undefeated After 100-81 Scorching by Suns

Shawn Marion’s off-season efforts are paying dividends for the Phoenix Suns.

Marion scored 23 points to lead five players in double figures Tuesday night as the Suns knocked the San Antonio Spurs from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 100-81 victory at Phoenix.

“I’m feeling a lot more comfortable,” said Marion, a second-year forward from Nevada Las Vegas. “I worked on a lot of stuff this summer and got more ready. Every day I was learning more and more stuff.”

Tony Delk had 20 points and Clifford Robinson added 15 for the Suns, who led by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter on the way to their fourth consecutive victory.

“I say it over and over and over again but when we play hard, we’re really good,” Sun Coach Scott Skiles said. “When we play like we did tonight, we’re going to beat most teams most nights.”

Jason Kidd fell one rebound shy of his second double-double, finishing with 10 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Rodney Rogers added 12 points.

“Everyone is getting on his bandwagon, trying to play as hard as he does,” Skiles said of Kidd. “He creates so many shots right around the basket for us.”

Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Washington 88, Chicago 83--Rod Strickland scored six of his 21 points in the last two minutes at Chicago, where the Bulls failed to sell out for the first time in 13 years and Bull center Brad Miller suffered a broken right hand.

The NBA’s longest active sellout streak, which dated to Nov. 20, 1987, ended at 610 games. The stretch was the third-longest in NBA history. Only the Portland Trail Blazers (814) and the Boston Celtics (662) had longer runs.

Miller, who signed a three-year, $12-million deal as a free agent last summer, said he broke a bone in the base of his hand as he grabbed a rebound with about 90 seconds to play. He is expected to be sidelined three to four weeks.

Toronto 105, Boston 75--Vince Carter scored 23 points and the Raptors scored a franchise-record 41 points in the third quarter at Toronto.

Carter had 15 points in the third quarter, when the Raptors outscored the Celtics, 41-18.

Portland 97, Atlanta 88--Steve Smith scored 22 points and Greg Anthony added 17 for the Trail Blazers at Portland, Ore.

The Hawks’ 0-5 start is the worst in franchise history.

New York 103, Milwaukee 89--Allan Houston scored 24 points and reserve Glen Rice had 18 to lead the Knicks at Milwaukee.

Around the League

Calling it a “baseless complaint,” a federal appeals court in San Francisco declined to reinstate Latrell Sprewell’s $30-million suit against the NBA and his former team, the Golden State Warriors. . . . The NBA has the highest average ticket price among the four major U.S. professional sports, eclipsing the $50 mark for the first time in history, according to Team Marketing Report Inc. Among the league’s 29 teams, the New York Knicks have the most expensive ticket at an average price of $91.15, the report said. The Knicks are followed by the Lakers at $87.69. . . . Charlotte Hornet forward Derrick Coleman will return for tonight’s game against the Orlando Magic after sitting out the start of the season because of an irregular heartbeat.