Stoudemire hopes big night kicks off Phoenix title run

	Amare Stoudemire had an MVP-like game in his second All-Star appearance. Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
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LAS VEGAS -- For a city located in the desert, Las Vegas doesn't typically embrace the sun. Residents are known to stay indoors for days at a time when the temperatures hit 100 degrees. Casinos are built without windows, the better to keep high rollers at the tables.

As LeBron James said during Friday's media session: "In Las Vegas you never know what time it is until you go outside."

But the sun sure shone bright at that this year's NBA All-Star Game. Or rather the Suns did.

Amare Stoudemire (29 points, nine rebounds, two blocks) and Shawn Marion (18 points, eight rebounds, four assists) were in the mix for the MVP award that went to Kobe Bryant.

Coach Mike D'Antoni got all his players in the game.

And Suns-style ball prevailed from start to finish, with the Western Conference racking up 153 points on a record 52 assists. All without Steve Nash.

It almost makes one wonder if this year's All-Star Weekend might be an omen of things to come for Phoenix.

The Suns just seem to have a certain magic about them this year, from Stoudemire's amazing in-season reversal of form to Nash's unlikely quest for a third straight MVP.

Phoenix is even the current favorites to win the NBA title, paying 8/5 odds to Dallas' 2/1, at least according to the MGM Grand sports book.

"Really?" Marion said. "I didn't know that. But I don't really pay attention to gambling."

But isn't he surprised, considering the Mavs have the better record and have defeated the Suns in both head-to-head meetings this season?

"No, not at all," he said. "If we stay healthy there is no doubt we can [win it all]. The regular season and postseason are two different things. We can definitely do it. That's our mentality."

EAST STARS: KOBE WAS GUNNING FOR MVP

NBA stars walk a fine line when it comes to winning the All-Star MVP award. Try too hard, and a player runs the risk of looking selfish. At the same time, nobody wants to be clowned in front of a national TV audience and a crowd full of celebrities and rap stars.

Bryant, a player who has never cared what other players think about him when he steps between the lines, clearly has less ambivalence in that regard than most of his peers. After the Lakers star took home the MVP trophy Sunday, several East players said they could tell right away Kobe had the trophy on his mind.