Stoudemire scores 21, Nash adds 20 to lead Phoenix in 117-91 win over road-weary Pistons

Stoudemire, Nash lead Suns past Pistons, 117-91

PHOENIX — Amare Stoudemire scored 21 points and Steve Nash added 20 for Phoenix, then sat out the fourth quarter to watch the Suns rout road-weary Detroit 117-91 Sunday night for the Pistons’ fifth straight loss.

Nash made 7 of 8 shots and had nine assists. Jason Richardson scored 17 as the Suns (11-3), with six players in double figures, improved to 5-0 at home and tied Atlanta and Orlando for the best record in the young NBA season.

Charlie Villanueva and rookie DaJuan Summers each scored 13 for Detroit. Ben Gordon was in foul trouble and finished with 10 on 3-of-11 shooting.

The Pistons, who lost at Utah in overtime on Saturday night, finished off a winless four-game road trip.

The Suns, who shot 58 percent overall and were 11 of 18 on 3-pointers, scored the last 12 points of the first half to lead 58-42 and Detroit never seriously threatened after that.

The Pistons still are without injured Richard Hamilton (ankle) and Tayshawn Prince (back). The two have played a combined four games this season.

Phoenix, coming off an ugly 110-103 loss at New Orleans on Thursday night, made its first eight shots to go up 17-10, but the Pistons came back with a 10-0 spurt to briefly take the lead at 22-19 on Rodney Stuckey’s 19-footer. Phoenix responded with a 20-7 run to go up 39-29 when Goran Dragic drove for a layup with 8:39 left in the half

The Suns led the rest of the way.

After Will Bynum’s driving layup cut it to 46-42 with 4:51 left, Phoenix scored the last 12 points of the half. Channing Frye sank a 3-pointer, on his only shot of the half, Stoudemire stuffed a fastbreak rebound and Nash made a layup after a weaving drive through the lane.

Phoenix led by as many as 22 in the third quarter and was up 84-63 entering the fourth.

NOTES: The Suns are the only team in the NBA to score more than 100 points in every game this season. … Stoudemire has had four consecutive 20-point games. … The Pistons play seven of their next nine at home, beginning with a Wednesday night game against Cleveland. … Detroit center Ben Wallace was part of Phoenix’s trade that sent Shaquille O’Neal to Cleveland. The Suns reached a buyout agreement with Wallace, who then signed with the Pistons.