Notebook: Suns 107, Bucks 105

Posted Tuesday February 7, 2012 11:32PM

By Rick Braun, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Steve Nash capped his 38th birthday with a running bank-shot with five seconds left to lift the Phoenix Suns to a 107-105 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Tuesday night at the Bradley Center.

The Suns blew a 21-point third-quarter lead and trailed 94-90 after Beno Udrih's jumper with 7:32 left before rallying back.

Center Marcin Gortat led the Suns (11-14) with 21 points and nine rebounds, guard Jared Dudley added 19 points and Nash finished with 18 points and 11 assists.

Drew Gooden led the Bucks with 25 points, and Mike Dunleavy and Ersan Ilyasova with 17 each off the bench. But leading scorer Brandon Jennings had just three points and took only four shots in 28:32 of playing time.

The Suns won their third straight, while the Bucks (10-14) lost their third straight.

QUOTABLE: "It's hard. You lose all the momentum, they've got all the confidence and now they have a chance to steal one, in effect. So to come back and show some resolve was fantastic."
-- Steve Nash on going from a 21-point lead to down four and still rallying to win

THE STAT: After going just 2 for 22 during a stretch from midway through the third quarter to midway through the fourth, the Suns made 6 of their final 11 shots, including two 3-pointers by Dudley and one by Nash over the final 6:24.

TURNING POINT: After taking a 94-90 lead with a 32-9 run, the Bucks committed turnovers on their next two possessions with a chance to increase the lead. That allowed the Suns to gather themselves and rally over the final six minutes.

QUOTABLE II: "We just wanted to make sure they take a tough shot. We didn't want to give up a three for the win. We knew it was going to be one of two guys -- Stephen Jackson, who's definitely made a lot of shots at the end of games, over Brandon Jennings. So we wanted to keep it out of their hands and make sure we made them take a tough shot."
-- Suns forward Channing Frye, who helped trap Jackson 25 feet from the basket and prevent the Bucks from getting off a final shot.

HOT: Dudley hit 7-for-9 shots, including 3 of 4 on 3-pointers, and Gortat hit 8-for-12.

GOOD MOVE: After the Bucks took a 94-90 lead against his second unit, Suns coach Alvin Gentry brought his five starters back with 6:46 left and watched them rally to victory.

BAD MOVE: The Bucks did not get the ball into Jennings' hands on the final possession and never got off a shot to either tie or win.

ROOKIE WATCH: Suns forward Markieff Morris went just 1-for-7 in 20 ½ minutes for two points.

NOTABLE: During the first timeout with 5:41 left in the first quarter, the Bucks played a video tribute to Suns guard Michael Redd, who played the previous 11 seasons in Milwaukee. Redd checked into the game shortly thereafter with 4:05 left in the quarter. Redd made six of his first seven shots and finished with 14 points. ... For the second straight game, Jennings, the team's leading scorer, was shut out in the first half. ... In their last three home games the Bucks have faced a cumulative halftime deficit of 53 points. They trailed Miami by 13 a week ago, Chicago by 23 Saturday night and the Suns by 17. ... Ilyasova had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. ... Forward Josh Childress did not score but had 12 rebounds for the Suns. ... The Suns grabbed 16 offensive rebounds, with Gortat and Childress grabbing five each. ... The Bucks' bench outscored the Suns' bench, 54-22. But Phoenix starters outscored Milwaukee's starters 85-51

UP NEXT: For the Suns, Thursday vs. Houston, Saturday @ Sacramento. Monday @ Golden State. For the Bucks, Wednesday @ Toronto, Friday @ Cleveland, Saturday vs. Orlando.