National Basketball Association

Frye wins it for Suns at buzzer in OT

Published Feb. 27, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

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Channing Frye was anything but perfect in overtime for the Phoenix Suns.

His final seconds more than made up for it.

After committing a foul that allowed Indiana to tie the game late in OT, Frye converted a long jumper as the buzzer sounded, giving the Suns a 110-108 victory over the Pacers on Sunday.

Frye's game-winner came after a timeout with 3.5 seconds remaining.

"There was enough room to get it off and it went in," said Frye, who finished with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting - 3 of 7 from 3-point range.

"I was tired. I was like, 'God, if you can let me make this shot ... ' I've never asked for anything like that before, and what do you know? He gives me a game-winner."

Grant Hill had a season-high 34 points for the Suns, who scored the first seven points of overtime before the Pacers rallied.

"We trailed, worked ourselves back into it and still didn't get it done," said point guard A.J. Price, who had 13 points in the fourth quarter and overtime for the Pacers, who trailed by 15 late in the third.

Josh McRoberts tied the game at 108-108 on a 3-point play, with Frye committing the foul, with 23.9 seconds remaining. But the Suns worked the clock to 3.5 seconds, and after a timeout, Frye converted from 23 feet for the victory.

"To be honest, I always want it," Frye said, "especially after making a bonehead play like I did."

Said Suns point guard Steve Nash, "Channing made a big shot to erase all ills."

Nash had 10 points and 12 assists for the Suns, who tied it 99-99 on a 3-pointer by Hill with 44.4 seconds remaining to send the game to OT. Hill's 3 marked the Suns' only points in the final 5:12 of regulation.

Danny Granger had 25 points for the Pacers, who trailed by 10 points at the end of the third quarter before rallying to take a 97-96 lead on Jeff Foster's shot in the lane with just over two minutes remaining.

Jared Dudley added 15 points off the bench for the Suns, who led 60-51 after a strong first half by Hill and pushed the lead to 82-67 late in the third quarter. Marcin Gortat had 17 points.

Hill, one of 15 active players with 16,000 career points, has 12 games with 20 or more this season after registering just five in 81 games last season. Hill has scored in double figures in 35 of the last 46 games.

Hill, averaging just under 10 points in his last five games, shot 14 of 26 from the field, and his strong start set the tone in a game the Suns controlled until the fourth quarter.

"I actually talked to my dad last night," said Hill, the son of former NFL running back Calvin Hill. "He said, 'You have to be more aggressive offensively.' The thing is, we're going to score enough points. I tried to get going and the shots were falling. I haven't taken 20-some shots in a while."

The Suns have won three straight and seven of nine. They are 2-0 on a season-long six-game road trip and three games above .500 for the first time this season.

The Pacers are 9-5 under interim coach Frank Vogel and lost their second consecutive home game.

"We played a really good second half, particularly in the fourth quarter," Vogel said. "Channing Frye hit a great shot. It was well-defended. They're hard to guard. They're not fourth in the league in scoring for nothing."

NOTES: Aaron Brooks came off the bench for the Suns and scored three points in his first action with Phoenix. The Suns acquired the third-year guard from Houston in a trade Thursday for Goran Dragic and a first-round draft pick. ... Lance Stephenson, the Pacers' second-round draft pick, made his first NBA appearance. He had been in uniform five times. "He's our third point guard and we don't want to get into a situation where he hasn't played yet and we need him," Vogel said. Vogel said although Stephenson played point guard Sunday, he can and will play each guard position.