The Phoenix Suns became the first Western Conference team to win 30 games very easily.The Suns look for their fifth straight victory overall when they remain on the road to face the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second time in six days Wednesday night.Phoenix (30-12) opened a four-game road trip with a 114-105 win at Milwaukee on Tuesday night.Steve Nash had a season-high 37 points with 10 assists, while center Amare Stoudemire added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Suns.The win was the second straight on the road for the Suns. Plus Phoenix has won nine of its last 12 meetings with the Timberwolves (6-34). Nash is averaging 15.5 points and 14.0 assists in the two games versus Minnesota this season.Stoudemire had 23 points and 11 rebounds in the Jan. 8 win over the Timberwolves. The veteran scored eight points in 27 minutes in his return after missing seven games due to undergoing an appendectomy.

The Toronto Raptors were unsettled at point guard after T.J. Ford was injured against the Atlanta Hawks in December. Jose Calderon has filled in nicely. The Raptors meet the Hawks for the first time since this season series Friday night.Ford hasn’t played since suffering a stinger.  Ford was cleared to resume workouts Jan. 9 and he was expected to return home to Houston . Plus Ford was headed to the basket when Horford hit the guard’s face with his hand. Horford was suspended one game for the flagrant foul.Toronto is 9-8 since Ford’s injury.  Calderon had 17 points and 14 assists to help Bosh finish with a 31-point game in the Raptors’ 116-91 win over Sacramento on Wednesday night.Bosh,has scored 20 or more points in seven of Toronto’s past eight games. He is averaging 34.5 points and 11.5 rebounds while shooting 66.7 percent (26-for-39) from the field in his last two home games.The fifth-year center has helped the Raptors win three straight at Air Canada Centre, averaging 113.7 points while holding opponents to 98.7 in that span.The Raptors have a chance to match their longest home winning streak of the season as they face a Hawks team that has lost four straight on the road. Atlanta (17-18) has lost 10 of 15 road games this season and has not reached 100 points in any of those contests, averaging 87.9 points per game.The Hawks shot 36.5 percent (27-for-74) in an 87-80 loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday night.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 20 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to their 18th win in the last 20 games with a 99-73 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Monday. Brandon Roy scored 16 points andJarrett Jack had 15.Travis Outlaw 13 and James Jones 10.Joel Przybilla had a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with nine points as Portland rebounded from a 116-109 double-overtime loss to the Raptors in Toronto on Sunday. Vince Carter and Jason Kidd each had 10 points.Aldridge hit a 19-foot jumper for the first points of the game and the Trail Blazers surged to an 8-1 lead. The Nets reserves provided a spark, opening the second quarter with an 8-2 run that trimmed the Trail Blazers lead to 27-20 as Bostjan Nachbar, Antoine Wright, Darrell Armstrong and Allen had the baskets.

Yesterday we witnessed a great tonight between the Suns and Spurs. Of course, both the teams haven’t been as dominant this year as some expected. Though the Spurs have to restrain their ardour because of the injuries to Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. Now, Duncan is back and Parker is on the shelf. Maybe because of that the Suns showed better results in that match-up. Let’s see what will be next.

The Knicks fined Stephon Marbury over 180 thousand dollars after he blew off Tuesday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns. According to the National Baseball Association’s collective bargaining agreement, players are docked 1/110th of their salaries for a missed match without any reasonable excuse. With Stephon Marbury scheduled to earn over 20 million dollars this year, that would be about $182,800. the player did not start in the New York Knicks’ 84-81 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, but he entered the match late in the 1st quarter and finished with thirteen points.