--The Suns lost a chance at the best start in franchise history after going 8-1 out of the gate. The 1980-81 Suns won 11 of the first 12 games. Both of Phoenix's losses this season have come on the road, but they still have won five of the first seven. --The Suns had four players in double-figures at halftime in Wednesday's win over New Orleans and eight by the end of the game. Thursday against the Lakers, the Suns didn't have a single player in double-figures until Steve Nash got to 11 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. --The Suns are the fastest team in the NBA to reach 100 made three-pointers and had 102 in their first nine games. But the Suns made a season-low eight three-pointers (in 23 tries) against the Lakers and their outside shooting was never a factor.
--Keep Charles Barkley and Doug Collins away from the Suns. They have now lost 14 straight games nationally televised by TNT, including the playoffs and a pair of outdoor exhibition games in Indian Wells, Calif.
--The Suns have made two trips to the Staples Center this season and in each case, they were limited to just two fast-break points. The Suns were able to overcome it as they rallied to beat the Clippers on opening night, but they weren't able to match a 12-2 Laker advantage in that category when added to a poor shooting night.
--A night after shooting a season-high 55.4 percent from the field in a rout of the Hornets and shooting 50 percent or better in seven of their first nine games, the Lakers' defense limited the Suns to a season-low 36.5 percent. It's the first time all season that the Suns, who were 38-of-104 from the field didn't shoot at least 45 percent -- which they managed in their only other loss at Orlando.
--The Suns suffered their first loss in the Western Conference after winning their first four conference games for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
--The Lakers scored 78 points in the paint, the most by a Laker team since the 1999-00 season -- and stuck to their gameplan of not trying to match three-pointers with the Suns. Andrew Bynum ruled the rim but Kobe Bryant had most of his 29 points inside the point as well.
--The Suns, who averaged an NBA-best 27 assists over the first nine games, had a season-low 12 assists against the Lakers and Steve Nash was held to a season-low five as well. The Lakers, in contrast, had 36 assists and Jordan Farmar (eight) and Lamar Odom (seven) combined for more than the entire Suns team.
QUOTE TO NOTE: We kind of disturbed their rhythm a little bit. They weren't just freely passing the ball everywhere. Offensively, we pounded it on the inside. We were able to score 78 in the paint. That's tough for anybody to combat." -- Lakers center Andrew Bynum to the L.A. Times. Bynum scored 26 points and added 15 rebounds against the Suns.
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