Suns Bounce Back by Beating Pacers

Shawn Marion scored 29 points, Steve Nash added 15 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds and the Phoenix Suns beat the Indiana Pacers, 114-104, Thursday night in Indianapolis to end a two-game losing streak.

Peja Stojakovic scored 25 points for the Pacers, who lost for the sixth time in eight games and played again without Jermaine O’Neal while suffering additional injuries.

O’Neal was inactive after aggravating his groin injury earlier this week. Stephen Jackson sprained his ankle in the second quarter and did not return, and Scot Pollard missed the second half because of a sore foot.

Meanwhile, former Pacer great Reggie Miller, surrounded by his four siblings and amid chants of “Reg-gie! Reg-gie!,” had his No. 31 retired during a halftime ceremony. He retired after last season.

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The NBA pulled out of talks between the Portland Trail Blazers and Rose Garden owners intended to help sell the team and its arena, saying the arena owners had offered nothing constructive.

Trail Blazer owner Paul Allen has appealed for a public partnership to keep the team afloat amid declining revenue and poor ticket sales.

When asked if he saw himself as owner of the team next season, Allen replied, “Unclear.”