The Phoenix Suns today acquired Minnesota forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili, who played for current Suns Head Coach Mike D?Antoni for Italian club Benetton Treviso in 2001-02, in exchange for the club?s 2006 second-round draft pick.

?If there is an ideal coach and ideal system for Skita to do well, it?s here in Phoenix with Mike D?Antoni,? Suns President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo said.

In his only season with D?Antoni as an 18-year-old, Tskitishvili, now 22, averaged 6.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and shot over 73-percent on two-point field goal attempts in 11 games with Benetton Treviso.  Shortly thereafter, the Nuggets selected the early entry candidate in the first round (5th overall) of the 2002 NBA Draft, four picks before the Suns chose Amar? Stoudemire with the ninth overall pick. The Republic of Georgia native also played two professional seasons in Slovenia with KK Slovan from 1999-2001.

Tskitishvili, a 7-0, 225-pound forward, has averaged 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds and 11.6 minutes per game in 160 career games over four NBA seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors and most recently the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he saw limited action in five games in 2005-06.

Last season Tskitishvili appeared in 35 games (1.4 points, 1.2 rebounds, 6.2 minutes) split between Denver and Golden State. He was traded by the Nuggets to Golden State on Feb. 24, 2005 along with Rodney White in exchange for Eduardo Najera, Luis Flores and a future first-round pick (from Dallas in 2007).

Tskitishvili signed as a free agent with the Timberwolves on August 9, 2005 after averaging 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per game in two contests for the Timberwolves? entry in the 2005 Minnesota Summer League. He posted 25 points and 10 rebounds in 17 minutes vs. Milwaukee on July 15, but played just nine minutes on July 16 vs. New York before breaking the third metacarpal in his right hand.

The Suns roster now stands at 14. Tskitishvili will wear No. 15.

It was an unofficial turn-back-the-clock night in Phoenix, to the days when everybody in the NBA loved to run and shoot, and nobody played much defense.

Ray Allen made a 30-footer at the second-overtime buzzer to break the NBA record for most combined 3-pointers in a game, giving the Seattle SuperSonics a 152-149 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night in the league's highest-scoring game in 11 years.

"When I was open, I just knew it was time to make a shot," Allen said.

The teams combined for 32 3-pointers, breaking the mark of 31 set by Toronto and Philadelphia on March 13, 2005. The 301 points were the most in a game since Dallas beat Houston 156-147 in two overtimes on April 11, 1995, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

It was the first 150-point game in the NBA since the Los Angeles Clippers beat Toronto 152-120 on March 15, 1998.

Allen scored 42, including 8-of-16 3s, and Luke Ridnour a career-high 30 as the Sonics snapped a four-game losing streak and handed Phoenix its first home loss in seven games. Thirty-two of Allen's points came after the third quarter.

"One thing about Ray Allen, at some point he's going to make shots," Sonics coach Bob Hill said.

Suns forward Amare Stoudemire, who remains on course to resume basketball activity after the All-Star break next month, told ESPN.com on Friday that he doesn't expect to play his first real game until sometime in March.

"Right now, we're looking at about two months out," Stoudemire said following a rehab session for his surgically repaired left knee.

"That's what we're striving for right now."

Stoudemire underwent microfracture surgery Oct. 11 after knee soreness that surfaced during the offseason worsened during the first week of training camp. The Suns announced at the time that Stoudemire would miss "approximately four months," citing the nominal size and location of the defect and Stoudemire's age (he turned 23 on Nov. 16) as the basis for their belief that he could return to the practice floor in February.

Carmelo Anthony didn't mind the extra work, not even when he got kneed in the face in the middle of the third overtime.

"I wasn't going to miss no time, not in a game like that," said Anthony, who scored 43 points, including the game-winner with 2.9 seconds left that sent the Denver Nuggets past the Phoenix Suns 139-137.

Anthony played the final 2? minutes with watery eyes and tissue paper in his left nostril to keep blood from gushing out after he was inadvertently kicked in the face by teammate Eduardo Najera.

Eddie House was short on a long jumper after a timeout. Shawn Marion tried unsuccessfully to toss it back up and send the game to a fourth overtime as the buzzer sounded.

"We played with a lot of heart for seven periods," said Earl Boykins, who added a career-best 33 points for the Nuggets in their first triple-overtime game in a decade.

It was the Suns' second triple-overtime game this month alone: They lost at New York on Jan. 2.

"I don't know what it is about overtimes," lamented Suns coach Mike D'Antoni. "We don't get overtime pay, so I don't know why we do it."

The Toronto Raptors? Mike James and the Phoenix Suns? Steve Nash today were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Jan. 2 through Sunday, Jan. 8.

James led the Raptors to a 3-1 week, averaging 25.3 points on .547 shooting from the floor and .619 from three-point range, 7.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds. James eclipsed his season averages for the week by 9.9 points, 2.5 assists and 1.4 rebounds, while leading the Raptors in assists in all four contests and in scoring twice.

Nash averaged a league-high 14.3 assists, while scoring 21.3 ppg on .533 shooting and grabbing 3.8 rpg, to lead the Suns to a 3-1 week. Nash not only set a career high with 22 assists in a triple-overtime loss at New York on Jan. 2, but it was the franchise?s second-highest assist total ever, trailing only Kevin Johnson?s club record of 25 on April 6, 1994 and the most in the NBA since Cleveland?s Andre Miller dished out 22 on Dec. 15, 2001.

The Phoenix Suns announced today the signing of forward Josh Davis to a 10-day contract. Davis has logged 51 games in the NBA and is a former Continental Basketball Association MVP.

The 6-8, 235-pound forward has averaged 2.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 7.1 minutes in 51 NBA games (six starts) with four different clubs (Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks). Most recently, Davis split the 2005-06 season with Milwaukee and Houston, who recently waived him on Jan. 4.

Steve Nash may have dished out 12 assists in a 47-point first quarter for Phoenix as the Suns raced past the Miami Heat 111-93 on Friday night, but it was Heat coach Pat Riley who was grabbing the headlines.

Before the game Jim Gray asked Riley how often he thought of coaching when he was out of the job. Riley replied, "Not much at all."

Riley then said: "I was happy with what I was doing. I doubt I will be coaching after this season. I came back because I have an obligation and responsibility to this organization. I built this team ? but I really doubt I'll be back [coaching] next year."

Nash broke the franchise record and tied for second-most assists in a quarter in NBA history. Last season's league MVP finished with 19 assists and 11 points in Phoenix's sixth victory in seven games.

After 13 years of countless memories as America West Arena, and months of conversion effort, the US Airways Center will officially open its doors at tonight?s Phoenix Suns/Miami Heat game.  

From interior and exterior building signage to concession materials, advertising and promotional collateral to the Suns and Phoenix Mercury courts, guests can?t miss the new name as the US Airways Center logo is incorporated throughout the venue.  

The new name of the venue was announced in November 2005 along with the finalization of a 10-year naming rights agreement, which followed the merger between America West Airlines and US Airways, completed September 27, 2005.

?Branding this venue with a new name, US Airways Center, is very fitting considering that the building has undergone a complete transformation over the past few years, providing for an enhanced entertainment experience for our guests,? said Suns Chairman and CEO Jerry Colangelo.  ?Our partnership with US Airways reflects a commitment to remain at the forefront of sports and entertainment venues on a national level.?

The US Airways Center recently completed a major $70 million expansion and improvement project.  Gone is the block exterior, replaced with soaring glass walls.  The outdoor ticket office is now enclosed inside the new 14,000 square foot Casino Arizona Pavilion, serving as a grand entrance highlighted by a 12 x 20 foot video wall.  On the east side, the Bud Light Paseo is a flexible outdoor entertainment venue covered by a football field-length canopy featuring state-of-the-art sound and video projection systems, as well as the stylish Bud Light bar area and facilities that double as television studio facilities for Suns telecasts and a performance stage for music events.  Other improvements include new technology installed in the bowl including a 900-foot LED ribbon, a center-hung scoreboard with HDTV screens, a new sound system, a new Courtside Club, Lexus Club and B Lounge nightclub.  At street level the US Airways Center now features a Starbucks, expanded Team Shop and il Palazzetto, a Levy Brothers restaurant featuring fine Italian cuisine.

?Since its inception in 1992, America West Arena has been a great source of pride to employees our airline and now a much larger employee base can see US Airways? commitment to the Phoenix community and the Suns organization,? said US Airways CEO Doug Parker.  ?As the hometown airline of Phoenix, we are excited that the US Airways Center will be both a symbol of our future and a tribute to the proud history of our airline.?

The US Airways Center is owned by the City of Phoenix and managed by a subsidiary of Suns Legacy Partners, owners of the Suns (NBA), Mercury (WNBA) and the Phoenix Roadrunners) hockey team (ECHL).  The 19,000-seat, award-winning venue hosts 200 events a year including the Arizona Rattlers (AFL), concerts, the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney ice shows, other family shows, sporting events, and conventions.  More than two million guests attend events at the Center annually.

The Phoenix Suns announced today that they have waived center Jared Reiner.

Originally claimed off of waivers from the Los Angeles Clippers on October 24, 2005, the 6-11, 255-pound center did not appear in a game with the Suns.  

The Suns roster now stands at 13.

Indiana may make a decision based on the luxury tax and salary cap relief in the impending trade of Ron Artest.  This would give teams a chance to make an acceptable bid of expiring contracts, picks, etc.  The Pacers could pursue Latrell Sprewell to fill their need for a wing player if indeed they opt for a deal motivated by financial planning.