The run-and-gun Suns of the past won a lot of games and were popular across the league for their highlight-reel plays. The new Suns - a little slower, a little older but, so far, just as successful - are quickly getting popular around the league office...

PHOENIX -- Amare Stoudemire had 29 points and 11 rebounds on his 26th birthday and the Phoenix Suns overcame Shaquille O'Neal's second-quarter ejection to beat the Detroit Pistons 104-86 on Sunday night.

Steve Nash, back from a one-game suspension for his part in a skirmish with several Houston Rockets on Wednesday night, added 17 points and seven assists for the Suns, who already were without two players before O'Neal was tossed for a flagrant foul with 5:19 left in the first half. Boris Diaw had 13 points for Phoenix.

Richard Hamilton scored 19 for the Pistons, who entered the game 3-0 on a four-game western swing that began Tuesday. In their previous stop, they handed the Lakers their first loss of the season Friday night in Los Angeles.

Detroit's Allen Iverson scored nine points on 4-for-17 shooting.

The Suns made 14 of their first 19 shots and never trailed again.

O'Neal had 10 of his 12 points in the second quarter before his night came to an early end.

The call was made with 5:19 left in the half when Rodney Stuckey went up for a layup and O'Neal sent the Pistons' player crashing chest-first to the court. The flagrant foul two, which is an automatic ejection, was upheld after a review by referee Ken Mauer.

O'Neal stayed on the court to argue vehemently as Mauer ignored him before the Suns' big man...
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