Skip navigation
Site powered by
Latest news:
msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines: Arab League wants UN peacekeepers in Syria

Suns strike back, cut into Lakers’ series lead

Diaw just misses triple-double in Game 5 win; Bryant ejected late in 4th

Image: KobeAP
Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant walks off the court after being ejected against the Suns. Phoenix won Game 5 on Tuesday, cutting the Lakers' series lead to 3-2.

“He didn’t like my toneage, if that’s a word.” Bryant said. “He’s the decider. Is that a word, decider?”

Whether Brown’s problems were a distraction for Los Angeles or not, the Suns finally got their fast-paced game in gear to blow open a 22-point third-quarter lead.

Diaw scored the Suns’ final 11 points of the first half — going 9-of-9 at the foul line — to lead Phoenix to a 56-47 at the break.

Ronny Turiaf, playing for the first time in the series, completed a three-point play to put Los Angeles up 39-37 with 5:09 left in the second quarter, then the Suns outscored the Lakers 19-8 the rest of the half.

In the third quarter, the Suns’ trademark high-flying style made its first appearance since the opening quarter of the series.

Marion and Bell sank 3-pointers in a 21-7 run that put Phoenix ahead 79-58 on Diaw’s emphatic fast-break dunk with 3:15 left in the quarter. Nash’s layup, followed by his free throw following a delay-of-game technical, put Phoenix ahead 84-62 with 1:22 to go in the third.

But Brian Cook and Bryant sank 3-pointers to cut it to 84-68 entering the fourth. Bryant’s inside basket to start the fourth sliced the lead to 84-70.

Notes: The Suns’ 29 points marked the first time in the series that they had topped 20 in the second quarter. ... Of the seven teams to come back from a 3-1 series deficit, five won the NBA title. ... Phoenix has not lost four straight playoff games since it was swept by the Lakers in the 1989 Western Conference finals.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


< Prev | 1 | 2

advertisement
  ProBasketballTalk tweets

  1. Loading the latest posts…

Source: Twitter. For more, follow @basketballtalk.

Video: NBA from NBC Sports
Lin on on 'Linsanity'
Knicks guard Jeremy Lin discusses the hype surrounding his recent rise in New York.

Slideshow
Washington Wizards v Charlotte Bobcats
  Get your cheer on
Check out some of the dancers from the NBA.

more photos

  Ask the NBA expert: Ira Winderman

Do you have a burning NBA question? Submit it now, and then check back for our reader mailbag.

Special feature
Image: LeBron James
Who will be MVP?
Interactive: Rank each player on a scale of 0 to 10 (10 = best player, 0 = barely worthy of consideration).

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
Image: Blake Griffin
  NBA All-Star starters
A look at the starting lineups for the East and West teams.

more photos