Boston blows a 29-point lead and falls to Phoenix.
By The Associated Press

BOSTON – Stephon Marbury hit consecutive 3-pointers in the final three minutes to cap a 29-point comeback – the largest in Suns history – in a 110-106 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night.

Marbury scored 21 of his 34 points in the second half after Boston took a 65-36 lead with the first basket of the third quarter. The Suns outscored the Celtics 36-17 in the third period to cut the deficit to seven points, then tied it 88-88 on Marbury’s layup with 6:19 left.

The Suns went up five points before Mike James and Paul Pierce hit consecutive 3-pointers to give Boston a 94-93 lead with 4:05 left. After Vin Baker hit a jumper from the left side for a 96-95 lead, Marbury hit one 3-pointer and then another. Phoenix never trailed again.

Pierce hit a 3-pointer and James made two free throws to cut the deficit to 107-106 with 10.8 seconds left. But Marbury sank two free throws, and James missed an off-balance, well-guarded 3-pointer with four seconds left. Joe Johnson made a free throw with 1.3 seconds left to ice it.

Phoenix’s largest comeback previously was 27 points at Dallas on March 2, 1997.

Shawn Marion had 15 points with 10 rebounds and Johnson, a former first-round draft pick for Boston, scored 17 coming off the bench for the second straight game. Phoenix snapped a three-game losing streak.

and won on the road for just the second time this season.

Baker had 22 points and nine rebounds, Eric Williams had 16 points and 10 boards and Pierce scored 24 for the Celtics, who have lost four in a row.

The Celtics opened an eight-point lead in the first few minutes, by 15 late in the first quarter and 28 in the second.

Suns forward Amare Stoudemire had to be helped off the court after spraining his left ankle in the second quarter. He went to the floor after landing on Pierce’s foot under the Suns’ basket.

He was taken for X-rays and did not return to the game. Last season’s rookie of the year is averaging 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. He had five points and six rebounds before the injury.

Notes: Celtics C Tony Battie returned to the lineup after missing Wednesday’s game against Toronto with the flu. … Boston F Walter McCarty’s shoes said “I love Walter,” a phrase made famous by announcer Tommy Heinsohn. The former Celtics great presented him with the shoes before the game. … Suns G Penny Hardaway made his second start of the season and scored 10 points. … Baker topped 20 points for the fifth time this season. … Johnson was a first-round draft choice by the Celtics in 2001 who was traded to Phoenix the next February in a five-player deal that brought Boston Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk.

AP-ES-12-05-03 2223EST