PHOENIX (Ticker) -- If the Phoenix Suns are going to overcome
Amare Stoudemire's absence, they will need plenty of efforts
like this one from Shawn Marion.
Marion scored 29 points in 29 minutes to power the Suns to a
113-81 rout of the Seattle SuperSonics in preseason action.
The team's leading scorer last season with a 26.0 average,
Stoudemire will be out until February following left knee
surgery earlier this month, leaving a mammoth hole on Phoenix's
frontline.
If Marion can improve on his 19.4 scoring average, the Suns may
be able to avoid a significant drop from last season's Western
Conference-high 62 wins. He shot 11-of-17 (65 percent) on
Friday and had four of his team's nine steals before sitting out
the entire fourth quarter.
James Jones, who figures to spell Marion or start at the other
forward position, made 3-of-5 3-pointers and finished with 15
points. Eddie House scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, all in
the fourth quarter when Phoenix pulled away.
The Suns never trailed after Raja Bell opened the scoring with a
3-pointer. They finished 11-of-24 (46 percent) 3-pointers and
had 28 assists to Seattle's nine.
Ray Allen scored 20 points through the first three quarters and
Damien Wilkins had 18 overall for the Sonics.