Fourteen hours elapsed between celebratory news conferences at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, and they told the story of the Suns' bumpy but still relevant season. Late Saturday night, the Suns exhaled after grinding through a taut seven-game series against the Los Angeles Lakers. Coach Mike D'Antoni praised his entire roster, from the guys who seemingly came out of nowhere (Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw) to the star who was always there whenever they needed him (Steve Nash). Late yesterday morning, on another stage, in an adjacent room, it was Nash alone in the spotlight, accepting his second consecutive N.B.A. Most Valuable Player award. The Suns remain alive in the 2006 playoffs because Nash was again the league's most masterly floor conductor, but also because the Suns refused to succumb to 10 months of misfortune and roster shuffling. They did not wilt after losing Amare Stoudemire to knee surgery last summer or after losing his replacement, Kurt Thomas, to a foot injury in February. They are back in the Western Conference semifinals — they open at home tonight against the Los Angeles Clippers — despite missing three starters from last season (Stoudemire, Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson). Their victory total, 54, was eight shy of last season's record. Their near-death experience against the Lakers revealed a vulnerability that was rarely seen a year ago. But the Suns are still alive, with a good shot of returning to the Western Conference finals. "It's a little bit of everybody," said forward Shawn Marion, who bounced back from a bad start in the first round to average 18.1 points and 9.4 rebounds against the Lakers. "I think everybody brings something to the table. It's a team. It's no one individual. Of course, me and Steve lead the way, definitely. But it's like everybody's in tune with each other. Everybody's got each other's back, and that's what it's about." This is not the Suns team that cruised to 62 victories in 2004-5 and went five games against the San Antonio Spurs in the conference finals. But the joyride goes on, with 100-point games, lots of 3-pointers and a plug-and-play lineup that seems to welcome anyone willing to run. Johnson and Richardson were traded. But Diaw, acquired in the Johnson trade with Atlanta, blossomed into a star against the Lakers, averaging 18.3 points, 6 assists and 5.9 rebounds. Barbosa, like Diaw a foreign-born player with no real N.B.A. track record, also emerged, with a team-high 26 points in Game 7. Tim Thomas, cast off by the Chicago Bulls late in the season, looked perfectly at home with the Suns, leading them with 16 3-pointers in the first round. The entire cast gets points for surviving a difficult 10 months. But Nash gets the trophy — again — for holding the Suns together. The league announced yesterday what had been reported for weeks — that Nash was the N.B.A.'s ninth back-to-back winner of the M.V.P. award. Nash joined Magic Johnson as the only other point guard to win the award more than once. Nash earned the award by leading the league in assists (10.5 a game) while averaging career highs in scoring (18.8), rebounds (4.2) and field-goal percentage (.512). "I have to pinch myself," Nash said at yesterday's news conference. "I can't believe that I'm standing here today. I couldn't believe it last year, and to do it again is even more difficult to understand — but I'm not going to give it back." Nash earned 924 points in the balloting by 125 sportswriters and broadcasters. Cleveland's LeBron James finished second, with 688 points, followed by Dallas's Dirk Nowitzki (544), the Lakers' Kobe Bryant (483) and Detroit's Chauncey Billups (430). In first-place votes, it was not even close; Nash earned 57 to Bryant's 22. Six Suns players — Raja Bell, James Jones, Barbosa, Diaw, Marion and Nash — averaged career highs in scoring this season, a development that is often attributed to Nash. It is also due, in part, to the Suns' frantic offensive pace, which creates more possessions and more shots. But then, the effectiveness of that scheme goes back to Nash's playmaking. The Suns remain the N.B.A.'s most entertaining team, but with a slightly harder edge on defense this season. They traded for Kurt Thomas from the Knicks and signed Bell, who played for Utah last season, to improve their defense. They were in the midst of an 11-game winning streak when Thomas went down Feb. 22, but went .500 after the streak ended. He could return late in the second round, if the Suns are still alive. Bell harassed Bryant throughout the series, leveled him in Game 5, was suspended for Game 6 and got the last laugh late Saturday night. With the same words Bryant once used to dismiss him, Bell said, "We've got bigger fish to fry now." It was an interesting choice of words. Size has been an issue for the Suns since they adopted their up-tempo approach. The Lakers exploited it for a time, using Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom to dictate the pace as they won Games 2, 3 and 4. But the Suns reimposed their style in the final three games and ran themselves into the second round. The challenge will be tougher against the Clippers, who have a more formidable and physical front line with Elton Brand and Chris Kaman. The Suns, having survived everything else, do not seem overly concerned. "I am going to steal a line from Walt Disney and say, 'It's a small world after all,' " D'Antoni said, smiling with satisfaction Saturday night. "I guess small guys can play." http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/08/sports/basketball/08suns.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin --

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