Shawn Marion scored 19 points and Victoria's Steve Nash had nine assists as the Phoenix Suns beat Virtus Lottomatica Roma 100-93 in an exhibition Friday.
The game was part of the NBA Europe Live tour, which also features three other NBA teams playing on the continent. The Suns will play two more games in Cologne, Germany, next week against the Philadelphia 76ers and another European team.
The Suns trained in the northern Italian town of Treviso for four days before coming to Rome.
Phoenix led from the start and only struggled when coach Mike D'Antoni pulled his starters midway through each quarter.
Raja Bell and Brazilian guard Leandro Barbosa each had 18 points for Phoenix. Suns forward Amare Stoudemire, recovering from knee surgery, did not play.
Former Temple guard David Hawkins led Roma with 22 points.
NBA commissioner David Stern sat courtside next to Euroleague CEO Jordi Bertomeu and Rome mayor Walter Veltroni, an acknowledged basketball fanatic.
Former Boston Celtics star Bill Russell received a standing ovation when he was brought out onto the court during a break in the second quarter.
The Suns open the NBA season against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 31 and this was their pre-season opener. Roma begins the Italian league season Wednesday.
