Suns extend winning streak to five games

Grant Hill scored 23 points and Jason Richardson added 22 as the Phoenix Suns extended their season-high winning streak to five games with a 118-115 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

Hill hit a 12-foot jump shot with 58.6 seconds remaining to give the Suns a 115-113 lead, then made a foul shot with 6.2 seconds left after Denver’s Chauncey Billups missed a leaning eight-footer.

Billups, fouled by Hill with 5.4 seconds left to prevent the Nuggets from attempting a tying three-point shot, made both free throws to cut the Suns’ lead to 116-115.

The Nuggets fouled Steve Nash on the inbound play, and he made both foul shots with 3.9 seconds left.

Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 29 points, but missed a three in the final second.

Shaquille O’Neal, who played only 24 minutes because of foul trouble, had six of his 19 points in the final 5:04, when he made four of five free throws.

Kenyon Martin had 18 points, and J.R. Smith added 14 for Denver, which had won five straight.