Both clubs have winning records since the Dec. 11 trade that moved veteran scorer Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley to Phoenix for forward Boris Diaw and guards Raja Bell and Sean Singletary, and Charlotte (17-25) is now playing its best basketball of the season.

The Bobcats are 10-9 since the trade, but have won four of their last five including a 101-86 home victory over Memphis on Wednesday.

"We're just starting to get our confidence," said Emeka Okafor, who had 20 points and 15 rebounds against the Grizzlies for his 22nd double-double of the season.

The Bobcats hope that confidence will lead to the franchise's first victory over Phoenix (23-17). The Suns have won all eight previous meetings against Charlotte, but have lost four of their last five games entering this contest.

The presence of experienced winners like Diaw and Bell has had a positive effect on the Bobcats. Diaw is averaging 13.6 points and Bell 12.1 since coming to Charlotte, which is 2 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

"Once you get the taste for (playoff contention), you get selfish. You want to win every game," said Bell, who has scored 25 points in two straight games. "That's how you get that snowball effect."

Still the NBA's lowest scoring team at 91.5 points per game, Charlotte is averaging three points more than that over its last 17 contests.

While the Bobcats' offense continues to improve, defense could be the key to beating Phoenix, which is averaging 118 points all-time versus Charlotte.

Leandro Barbosa scored 30 points while recently-named All-Star starter Amare Stoudemire added 24 with 11 rebounds in the Suns' 118-104 home win over Charlotte on Feb. 4 - the teams' most recent meeting.

Phoenix is 10-7 since the trade, and is tied with Dallas for the final playoff spot in the West, but lost 114-109 at New York on Wednesday.

Richardson, who's averaging 15.7 points in a Suns uniform, had 27 points in the defeat, while Shaquille O'Neal had 21 with 12 rebounds and Stoudemire added 20.

The Suns fell to 1-2 on their season-high six-game road trip and have dropped four of their last five overall while allowing an average of 111.0 points.

"Before this five-game stretch, I was feeling pretty good about our team and I felt like we had turned a corner," said guard Steve Nash, who had a season-high 19 assists versus the Knicks. "So to take two steps back here lately has been frustrating. I'm not sure I have the answers for it."

Stoudemire, who will start the All-Star game in his home arena on Feb. 15, is averaging 23 points and 11.6 rebounds in five career games versus the Bobcats.