After leading by 22 points in the first half and 70-51 at intermission, the Nuggets fell apart in the second half and lost to Phoenix 132-117 Monday at US Airways Center.

"We're still playing our best basketball (of the season)," said Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony after the team's five-game winning streak was broken. "Just because we lost this game, we're not losing our confidence. We're going to go back and get this one (Tuesday)."

The Nuggets, who have lost nine of their past 13 home games, are sure glad to be home again. They're 30-7 at the Pepsi Center, having won 18 of their past 20.

SUNS 132, SUNS 117: Just like that, the Nuggets are again out of playoff position.

And, just like that, George Karl still hasn't won as Denver's coach at US Airways Center.

Karl had proclaimed before Monday's game that it was time for the Nuggets to finally break through. It looked really good for a while as they took a 22-point first-half lead.

Instead, the Suns stormed back for their seventh straight home win over the Nuggets, all since Karl came to Denver in January 2005.

"It was a total meltdown," said guard Allen Iverson.

The loss ended the Nuggets' five-game winning streak and dropped them back to ninth in the West playoff race. Denver (45-29) is a half-game behind No. 8 Golden State and a game behind No. 7 Dallas.

Forward Amare Stoudemire led the Suns (50-24) with 41 points, 27 in the second half. Guard Steve Nash added 36 points, hitting a career-high eight 3-pointers, and center Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points.

The Nuggets got 23 points from guard J.R. Smith. Iverson added 21 and forward Kenyon Martin added 19.

The Nuggets looked to be cruising when they led by as many as 22 points in the second quarter and were up 70-51 at halftime. But they collapsed in the second half, when they were outscored 81-47.

"I have no idea," forward Carmelo Anthony said when asked to try to explain what hit his team. "It didn't even seem like 81 points, but they did it. The best thing is we play them again in less than 23 hours."