Suns clip L.A. in double overtime

Published: Thursday, May 18 2006 11:58 a.m. MDT

PHOENIX — A long, long night for Shawn Marion and a dramatic 3-pointer by Raja Bell has the Phoenix Suns one victory away from a second straight trip to the Western Conference finals.

Marion had 36 points and a career playoff-high 20 rebounds in 54 grueling minutes, and the Suns blew a 19-point third-quarter lead before coming back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 125-118 in two overtimes Tuesday night.

The Suns took a 3-2 lead in the series and can advance with a victory in Game 6 Thursday night in Los Angeles.

Bell added 22 points, including a 3-pointer from the corner with 1.1 seconds left to tie it in the first overtime. Leandro Barbosa scored five of his 15 points in the second overtime for Phoenix.

Elton Brand had 33 points and 15 rebounds in 54 minutes, and Sam Cassell scored 32 — 27 in the second half and two overtimes — but the Clippers never led in the second extra session.

Marion's rebound stuff with 3:17 to play put Phoenix ahead 115-113. He landed awkwardly in traffic and limped off the floor with an apparent left ankle injury. But he was back less than a minute later.

Barbosa's first 3-pointer of the game gave Phoenix a 119-115 lead, then Brand's rebound and three-point play cut it to 119-118 with 1:22 left. After a timeout, Steve Nash fed Marion for a layup 1:05 from the end. Barbosa's two free throws made it 123-118 with 52.3 seconds to play.

Nash sealed it with two free throws with 19.5 seconds left.

Nash had 17 points and 13 assists but was 0-for-5 on 3-pointers. He hasn't made a 3 since the series opener, going 0-for-13 since.

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