A quick look back at Tuesday night in The Association ...Once Again Back Is The Incredible. No, not me. Two-time MVP Steve Nash had 13 points and 12 dimes in his first game back from a shoulder injury to help lead the Suns to a 115-90 rout over the Clips. Shawn Marion had 31 points, Pat Burke -- excuse me!? -- grabbed 10 boards and Phoenix snapped their three-game losing streak. But it wasn't all diamonds and sunshine and copious vats of free beer. Nash appeared to re-aggravate his injury while taking a charge in the second half. He sat out the entire fourth quarter.
It's The Return Of The ... AI and Redd. (Once again!). Allen Iverson scored nine points for the Nuggets in a 95-80 loss at San Antonio. Iverson had missed nine of the Nuggets' last 10 and Sunday's ASG with a right ankle sprain. Meanwhile, Michael Redd returned to score 17 points for the Bucks in a 84-83 home loss to the 'Stons. Redd has been sidelined for nearly 1 1/2 months with a messed up left knee. Mark Morrison -- aka the "Mack" -- also returned (once again!), but saw limited time in the Knicks 100-94 win over the Magic. He finished with a couple of rebounds.
Was The Highlight Factory Closed For Renovations? Mutoni was all over this, but it bears repeating: Chicago held Atlanta without a field goal in the third quarter in a 106-81 win. Yes, zero. The Hawks, outscored 28-8 in the third, went 0-16 from the field, marking the first time in franchise history the Bulls held a team without a field goal in a quarter. According to my good friend Elias, who has a car and drives me places, it was the first time a NBA team went without a field goal in a quarter since Feb. 3, 2006 when Sacramento shot 0-for-20 in the fourth against Utah.
Patiently Waiting For Wizznutzz's New Screen Saver. Washington's DeShawn Stevenson on Arenas: "He's 'Hibachi,' but I'm 'Mr. Fifty.' Put that in the newspaper so he'll get mad." Um, I'll do you one better and put it in the Morning Hardwood! Stevenson, who also liked the idea of the nickname "Inspector Fifty," -- where do they come up with this stuff? -- scored a season-high 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting in a 112-100 win over the Wolves. His field goal percentage is now 50.1 percent. Agent Zero's? 42.
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