Suns clinch playoff berth

CHICAGO — Jason Richardson scored 27 points and Channing Frye made a clutch three-pointer with 41.6 seconds to go Tuesday night and the Phoenix Suns clinched a playoff berth by beating the Chicago Bulls, 111-105, for their eighth straight win.

Steve Nash scored seven of his 22 points in the final two minutes and had 10 assists. Amare Stoudemire had 21 points for the Suns, 13 in the first quarter.

Flip Murray and Derrick Rose, who kept Chicago close down the stretch with 10 points in the final period, had 23 points each. The Bulls are 1 1/2 games behind Toronto for the eighth playoff spot in East.

Frye made his high-arching three-pointer from the top of the key with 41.6 seconds to go for a 106-103 lead, but Rose drove in for another basket to get the Bulls within one.

Nash then made a nice pass to Grant Hill for a dunk with 23.2 seconds remaining to restore Phoenix’s lead to three. After Rose missed a long three-pointer, Nash sank a pair of free throws with 13 seconds to go.

Associated Press