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OTTAWA - A player watching from the press box never wants a teammate to struggle, but its often the only way back in the lineup.Just ask Chris Phillips.The veteran defenceman will suit up on Tuesday when his Ottawa Senators visit the New York Rangers after sitting out the last two games as a healthy scratch.Phillips replaces Patrick Wiercioch, who struggled in the Senators 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.The 36-year-old Phillips has been a healthy scratch seven times this season, all since Dave Cameron replaced Paul MacLean as head coach.To be brutally honest its a really hard position, Phillips said Monday of sitting out. You want to see the team win and we want to push to get in the playoffs, (but) the reality is if we dont win theres probably a better chance that I might get in the lineup the next game. Obviously Im not hoping for that, but in the back of your mind you think: Well maybe I might be in next game if thats how it turns out.Its kind of a weird feeling.With seven healthy defencemen the reality is someone always has to be the odd man, out and soon enough it will be two as Mark Borowiecki continues to rehab his leg injury.Its difficult, said Phillips. Its not a position that anybody wants to be in. If its me in the lineup then its one of the other guys thats out and thats not where they want to be. I guess in some ways thats what you want is for us to be pushing each other and we need to be on top of our game to stay in the lineup.Phillips is in the first of a two-year contract and has a limited no-trade clause. While no discussions have taken place, the veteran knows management could approach him at some time after the all-star break about the possibility of a move.Tuesdays game will also feature the return of rugged forward Chris Neil, who has missed the last 16 games with a knee injury.I worked hard to get back, said Neil. I feel strong and ready to go.Neil said its been difficult to be sidelined, but added hes anxious to get back in the lineup and contribute.With just two games remaining before the all-star break the Senators would love to finish on a high and start to string some wins together. Heading into Mondays action the Senators sat 10 points out of a playoff spot, but remain optimistic they can close the gap.The Senators havent had a winning streak of more than two games this season, but Cameron said the team has to start burying its scoring chances.Thats probably the one biggest thing if you want to break it down, he said. We keep talking about the focus everyday of practice and games and all you can do is work on the things that give you the best chance to win.Senators general manager Bryan Murray spoke on local radio Monday morning and said he hasnt given up on trying to find a top-six forward.Murray said the ideal candidate would be a youngish player with term remaining on his contract or someone with interest to re-sign.It appears the Senators are also prepared to make a decision on the future of forward Colin Greening.Murray was seen talking to Greening at the end of Mondays practice and said that its likely the 28-year-old will end up on waivers.I just told him eventually here if we dont get something done hes got to play hockey and you cant play hockey as a 23rd or 24th guy on the roster so I may have to put him on waivers at some point in time, Murray told TSN 1200. In the meantime were going to look and see if theres some way of accommodating him and giving him a chance of continuing his career.He just doesnt fit with us right now.Murray added he has given Greenings agent permission to speak to other teams as well.The Ottawa GM also put to rest any rumours about the Senators trading Craig Anderson, who will get the start Tuesday, at the deadline.Why would I do that at this point? said Murray. We dont have a third goaltender. Robin is close to ready, but hes got to play more games. If you dont have goaltending in this league you dont have anything. We know that ... its unlikely that Craig Anderson is going anywhere but the net in Ottawa.Note: Veteran NHL forward Todd Bertuzzi, who was on a professional tryout with the Binghamton Senators, has returned home to have his knee examined after it was injured during a game. 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Alex Iafallo Jersey . Kuper, a fifth-round pick in Denvers 2006 draft, started 79 games at guard over eight seasons. He dislocated his left ankle in the last game of the 2011 regular season, and though he started another seven games after that, he never returned to his previous level. Tiger Williams Jersey . -- Phil Mickelson came to the St.PHILADELPHIA - Phoenixs Eric Bledsoe smiled and explained he was only joking when he said the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats could defeat the winless Philadelphia 76ers in a series.No harm, no foul.Well, not quite.He might have wished he could take it back after Nerlens Noel knocked him on his back only 30 seconds into the game. Noel showed some rare fight for the hapless Sixers, wasting no time sticking up for his team, even if it meant former Wildcat-on-Wildcat abuse.Bledsoe shook off the foul and the one-liner to turn this one into the latest laughter in Philly.Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points and Markieff Morris had 18 to lead the Suns past the Sixers 122-96 on Friday night.The Sixers have lost their first 12 games and are just six losses shy of matching the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets for worst start in NBA history.They need four more straight losses to top the 1972-73 Sixers for worst start (0-15) in team history and could challenge those 76ers as the worst 82-game season team (9-73) in NBA history.I respect those guys over there, Bledsoe there. We could have come out and lost this game.Bledsoe said this week Kentucky could beat the Sixers in a playoff series and Philadelphia might be able to take one game. Noel failed to find the humour and went after Bledsoe and fouled him. Bledsoe popped right up and ran his chest into Noel. The two exchanged words and had to be separated as the crowd cheered in delight.Bledsoe said he was warned by an unnamed Sixer that he would get mauled in the paint.Word got back to me, he said. You could tell (it was intentional). Look at the tape.Noel, who had three points and five rebounds, said he was just trying to protect the rim.I thought I blocked the shot, at first, he said. Then I felt his head. Its nothing personal.Perhaps fueled by Noels early moxie, the Sixers grabbed a nine-point lead and led 27-26 at the end of the quarter.Stick that quarter on Philadelphias season highlight reel. There was nothing else to pick the rest of the game.In the final box, Noels foul meant nothing.I dont know what message youre going to send, Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. So you fouled him hard. Bigg deal.dddddddddddd.The Suns shot 69 per cent in the first half and easily shook off the early challenge with a 20-4 run to win their third straight game.The Suns scored 41 points in the second quarter. Thomas opened the quarter with a driving layup for the lead, Noel clanged both free throws and Gerald Green hit a 3-pointer to turn the game around.Thomas and Green sparked a bench effort that saw the Suns go 14 of 17 in the half for 36 points. The Sixers scored 44 total points in the half.Thomas made all five shots from the floor, all five free throws and was 2 of 2 from 3-point range for a flawless 17 points.Six other Suns scored in double figures. The Suns led by as many as 34 points and made 21 of 23 free throws.Phillys K.J. McDaniels muffed an alley-oop and had a layup waved off at the horn in the third. With the Sixers down 31 in the third, what was left of another thin crowd booed the Sixers off the court headed into a timeout.The Suns rested their starters in the fourth.We tried to tell those guys to come out in the third quarter and really go after it so we could rest, Hornacek said.Michael Carter-Williams led the Sixers with 18 points.The Sixers were left hoping Saturdays game at New York will be the one that ends the winless skid.TIP-INSSuns: P.J. Tucker was whistled for a technical foul. ... Anthony Toliver and Marcus Morris each hit three 3-pointers. The Suns hit 13s on 31 attempts (42 per cent).76ers: Philadelphia forward JaKarr Sampson was assigned to the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League. ... The 76ers havent won since last seasons finale on April 16. ... In NBA history, two teams have started 0-13; three have started 0-15; one started 0-16; two started 0-17 and the Nets were 0-18, according to STATS LLC. ... Carter-Williams, Noel and Tony Wroten started together for the first time this season.POINT TOTALS:The Suns scored a season-high 122 points, the sixth time they have scored 110-plus points this season. The Sixers have allowed 110 or more points five times this season, including 120-plus three times.UP NEXT:Suns: At Indiana on Saturday.76ers: At New York on Saturday. ' ' '