Suns, Markieff Morris throw in towel in loss to Nuggets

Paul Coro | The Arizona Republic

Towelgate, the sequel, became a dramatic alternative to the usual holiday fare, just as the Suns’ play contrasts the season’s spirit.

In one of their more advantageous scenarios of the season, the Suns posted another dreadful loss with play so frightful and no signs of stopping. The bow on Wednesday night’s stocking of coal came when Markieff Morris added to a season of distraction by harkening back memories of Robert Horry’s towel toss at Danny Ainge by tossing a towel toward coach Jeff Hornacek in Wednesday’s fourth quarter.

The Suns lost 104-96 at Talking Stick Resort Arena to a Denver team playing a night after losing at home to the last-place Los Angeles Lakers and was missing five players (two starters) with no backup point guard available.

That is not all that surprising any longer for a team that has gone 5-14 since Nov. 22. How the Suns fell behind by 22 points, rallied to lead by three, started each half with new lineups and lost is now of less interest than Morris’ towel toss.

BOX SCORE: Nuggets 104, Suns 96

Much like Horry on a 10-21 Suns team in 1997, Morris was upset about being pulled from the fourth quarter from a 12-19 Suns team. With 9:47 to play and Denver leading 84-75, Morris was taken out of the game and he threw the towel while barking at Hornacek. Hornacek picked up the towel and threw it back Morris’ way with his own upset words for him.

“He’s mad about not playing,” Hornacek said. “I look at the stat sheet. He’s a minus-13 in 12 minutes. So there, I took him out. … He thinks he’s better than that. Show me.”

Hornacek said the Suns staff will discuss possible discipline for Morris, who has created a stir since the offseason when he asked to be traded after his twin, Marcus, was dealt. Markieff did not arrive in Phoenix until it was required for training camp. He lost his starting job earlier this month.

In January, Marcus also engaged in a shouting match during a game with Hornacek. He apologized publicly and to Hornacek after the game.

“That’s between me and ‘H’ (Hornaceck),” said Markieff, who made 2 of 8 shots and had one rebound Wednesday. “It’s not for media. It’s something between me and him that happened. We’ll talk about it.”

The Suns entered Wednesday night in a four-way tie for ninth place in the West despite the slide but gave up a 30-13 run early in the game and fell behind 50-28 with 6:50 to go in the first half.

Denver (11-17) was on a three-game losing streak – all to losing teams, including the West’s bottom two teams. The Suns had been 7-0 against teams playing on the second night of back-to-back sets this season but allowed Randy Foye, the Nuggets’ only point guard, to make seven 3-pointers for a 31-point game.

“Guys got to strap it up and take pride,” Hornacek said. “Our guards are getting lit up. It’s as simple as that. Until they take some pride in stopping somebody, it will continue.”

The Suns tried a new starting lineup of Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, T.J. Warren, Jon Leuer and Alex Len, but the Suns went to small-ball to rally. The Suns rode the hot hand of Ronnie Price and the rebounding of P.J. Tucker at power forward after Kenneth Faried had “manhandled everybody,” Hornacek said. A 38-13 Suns turnaround put Phoenix ahead 66-63 before the Suns went six minutes without a field goal. The Suns were within three points with 8:40 to go in the fourth quarter after Price’s sixth 3-pointer, a career high.

Denver already was missing starters Danilo Gallinari – its leading scorer – and Emmanuel Mudiay – its top playmaker – due to ankle sprains when backup point guard Jameer Nelson was ruled out with an illness and did not come to the arena. Jusuf Nurkic (patellar tendon) and Wilson Chandler (right hip) already had been out after surgeries.

“They played harder than us,” Bledsoe said.

Reach Paul Coro at paul.coro@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2470. Follow him at twitter.com/paulcoro.

Report

Key player: Denver guard Randy Foye made seven 3-pointers and finished with 31 points and six assists.

Key moment: The Suns went six minutes without a field goal after taking a 66-63 lead in the third quarter.

Key number: 0 shots made by centers Alex Len and Tyson Chandler on one attempt.

View from press row: It had been more than a year since the Suns had gone a complete game without a blocked shot until that happened Monday night at Utah. It would not have figured to happen at all this season with two 7-footers interchanging time at center this season. It did not get much better Wednesday night, as they finished with just two blocked shots.