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I hope the Lakers win this, to make this series at least somewhat compe ive.
LA Lakers at Phoenix
Preview - Box Score - Recap - Series Breakdown
Game Info: 10:30 pm EDT Tue Apr 24, 2007
TV: TNT, RNET Add to Calendar
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By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer
PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns know they shouldn't be too comfortable going into Tuesday night's Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Suns won the opener of the best-of-seven series, but they've been here before.
A year ago, Phoenix won Game 1 against the Lakers, then lost the next three and needed seven games to put away Kobe & Co.
"It's a huge lesson," said forward Amare Stoudemire, who watched that series in street clothes. "Last season the Lakers came back and played well and pushed it to a Game 7. We can't allow that this year. We've got to go ahead and take care of business so we can rest for the second round."
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Kobe Bryant, however, noted that this Phoenix team has one muscular, 6-foot-10 difference from last season.
"You've got that gorilla in the middle," Bryant said. "Stoudemire, he makes it tough on our guys down there because he's a great shot blocker. You've got to pound the ball inside but it's not as easy to do it this year as it was last year."
Stoudemire, out all but three games of the 2005-06 season, watched last year's playoffs while recovering from two knee surgeries. Now that he's back in the middle, the Suns have an inside presence that was sorely lacking a year ago.
He had 23 points and 12 rebounds in Sunday's victory but said he and his teammates could have done better.
"I missed a couple of easy jumpers I normally make," Stoudemire said. "A lot of guys missed some jumpers they normally make. There were a few easy baskets we might have missed in the first half. But the thing about it is we stayed aggressive, we didn't get down. We stayed focused and got a win."
The teams drew far different conclusions from Sunday's game.
The Suns felt good about winning despite a sub-par performance, the Lakers felt they showed they can stay with Phoenix.
"In many ways, we realize we were lucky to win," Suns guard Steve Nash said. "We didn't play well at all offensively. We didn't make shots. We didn't come out with a lot of energy, but we were mentally strong and defensively gave ourselves a chance to win."
The Suns shot 43 percent Sunday but were 6-of-23 on 3-pointers. Raja Bell, James Jones and Boris Diaw were a combined 4-for-16 from the field.
"I didn't think we played our `A' game, and against these guys you need to," Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said. "I was really happy with the way we fought, the way we defended. You just don't want to give Kobe a chance going down the stretch that he can win a game by himself."
For two quarters Sunday, Bryant looked as if he would do just that.
He scored 28 points in the first half, capped by a series of spectacular shots to give Los Angeles a 48-39 halftime lead. Harassed by Bell and a host of helpers, Bryant was just 4-for-16 in the second half, 1-for-10 in the fourth quarter, when the Suns -- led by Leandro Barbosa -- pulled away.
It's a familiar situation for Bryant, who has long contended that he needs more help from his teammates when the defenses clamp down on him.
"Yeah, it makes it frustrating," he said before Monday's practice. "It's not only that when I miss we struggle, it's just that I've got to shoot through three guys. If everybody else is not hitting shots, it's going to be a very, very tough night."
Despite their fourth-quarter woes, the Lakers were conceding nothing.
"I don't think anybody feels particularly bad about the Game 1 loss," Bryant said. "I think we've learned some good things. Now we're trying to carry them over to Game 2 and see if we can't duplicate the success that we had last year."
With Luke Walton hobbled by a sore ankle, Smush Parker banished to the bench and Kwame Brown ineffective, other than Lamar Odom, the options are few.
The Suns know they could have joined Dallas and San Antonio as surprise Game 1 losers if not for Barbosa, who matched his career high with 26 points, 19 in the first half. The "Brazilian Blur" won the NBA's sixth man award on Monday.
"He's a phenomenal player. I enjoy watching him play," Bryant said. "Obviously, we have our hands full, but it's something I'm sure we'll make some adjustments to."
Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson gave Barbosa his due respect, but said he can be defended much better than he was on Sunday.
"I'm not going to say he's Kobe Bryant yet," Jackson said. "There's a way you have to do it, and I think we have to focus on that."
Updated on Monday, Apr 23, 2007 8:07 pm EDT
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Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
LA Lakers 42-40 2nd Pacific / 7th West 103.3 103.4 Road 17-24 Won 2 4-6
Phoenix 61-21 1st Pacific / 2nd West 110.2 102.9 Home 33-8 Lost 2 7-3
LA Lakers Notes
Apr 22 With Sunday's loss, the Lakers have lost four consecutive playoff games, all to the Phoenix Suns. Including their last three playoff losses last season, the Lakers have lost seven of the last eight meetings against Phoenix. ... Los Angeles has not won a playoff series since C Shaquille O'Neal left the Lakers in 2004. ... G Kobe Bryant scored 28 of his 39 points in the first half. After making an 18-foot jump shot to give the Lakers' a seven-point lead with 2:01 remaining in the third quarter (73-66), Bryant was held without a basket over the next 12:19. Bryant missed nine consecutive shots before making a scoop layup with 1:42 left. He missed 11 of his last 12 shots to finish the game. ... Coach Phil Jackson lost for only the second time in his career in an opening game of a first-playoff series, dropping to 14-2. Both losses have been to the Suns.
Phoenix Notes
Apr 22 The Suns have won six straight Game Ones of a first-round series dating to 2000. Phoenix is 17-8 (.680) all-time when winning Game One of a playoff series. The team that has won the opening game has gone on to win 273-of-348 (.784) best-of-seven series. ... G Leandro Barbosa scored 15 straight points for the Suns over a 4:33 span in the third and fourth quarters en route to a playoff career-high 26 points. It was Barbosa's fifth career 20-point effort in the postseason, three against the Lakers. In his last three playoff games against the Lakers (including Games Six and Seven of the 2006 first-round series), Barbosa is averaging 24.7 points. ... G Steve Nash recorded his 32nd career postseason double-double with 20 points and a game-high 10 assists. Nash has had double-doubles in all five games against the Lakers this season.
I hope the Lakers win this, to make this series at least somewhat compe ive.
Suns fans are loud tonight that place is rockin.
Go Suns!
I agree. the Lakers.
lol, Smush Parker is just so bad.
The Lakers just don't have the talent to compete with Phoenix
This is getting ugly, gonna take my shower
doug collins sucks, i dont know why he doesnt just go and suck the sun's balls
phil jackson has officially given up not on this game, but on this entire series
Man, this series is over.
The Suns are serving up some pwn tonight.
Come on Lakers!
Yeah Doug Collins. He says the spurs are rusty and than says the Warriors own the Mavericks.
damn whats the suns going to do when they run into some defense and a real team
The same question should be asked for the nuggets.
The same question should be asked for the nuggets.
The Suns move so damn fast that sometimes I wish the opponent just sticks out their foot, they'd fly into the stands.
Holy assrape...
I turned that off, i'm catching up on House episodes.
LA is getting owned. Suns got this.
The only reason I'll continue to watch this is to see what the final point total for the suns is.
fakers down by 30Christmas in April
Kings playing golffakers down by 30
Anyone who thinks the Suns wont be that tough to beat, has another thing coming. This is a legit contender in the west that is going to be a to eliminate.
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