The glass-half-full Suns fan will look at the two routs at the hands of the Lakers this season and rationalize at warp speed. Phoenix played their 14th road game of the 21-game-old season Sunday night while the Lakers have played 15 of their first 19 games at home. Both trips to Los Angeles were not only the second game of a back-to-back situation for the Suns, but came just after a long East Coast road trip. Suns coach Alvin Gentry admitted after Saturday's win over Sacramento that his team is running on fumes and pushing his starters to long minutes in order to beat the Kings didn't help matters. But then again, if the Suns had a week off and even Leandro Barbosa and Louis Amundson available for Sunday's game, it might not have made a difference. The Lakers are not only deep, they are deep on inside big men, where the Suns are not only shy in numbers but in toughness as well.
In that sense, the Suns certainly aren't alone. But most of the league doesn't have the Lakers in its division.
The Suns were a little better this time around, they staying within shouting distance at times and staying out of foul trouble. But the Lakers still score at will inside and, when the Suns sag to offer help, still make the open outside shots that strategy affords.
Things don't get any easier this week. A road game in Dallas Tuesday before another quick pit stop in Phoenix finds Orlando waiting for them. The early season gauntlet is almost over, and at 15-6 the Suns have to be pleased with the results to this point.
LAKERS 108, SUNS 88: Kobe Bryant had 26 points and Ron Artest had 15 points and five steals at the Lakers blew out the Suns for the second time in just over three weeks and continued to take advantage of a home-heavy early schedule.
Steve Nash had 12 points and 10 assists for the Suns, but watched the fourth quarter from the bench along with the other Phoenix big guns. The Suns missed Leandro Barbosa and Louis Amundson due to injury and scored a season-low 88 points.
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