--G Steve Nash had another double-double with 12 points and 10 assists, but couldn't get his team going offensively thanks to the Lakers defense and some poor shooting by wings Jason Richardson and Grant Hill and center Channing Frye (a combined 12-for-28). Nash played only 29 minutes and sat out the fourth quarter to rest up for Tuesday's battle in Dallas against Jason Kidd and the Mavericks.

--F Amar'e Stoudemire led the Suns with 18 points and added eight rebounds in 31 minutes. But the Lakers front line of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom dominated the inside play and, as usual, presented foul problems for Stoudemire.

--G Jason Richardson continues to be a barometer for the Suns. On a night when the Suns were starving for offense, Richardson missed seven of his 12 shots from the field and all three of his three-pointers, finishing with just 10 points. The Suns are unbeaten when Richardson scores 20 points and when he's not hitting his three pointers and stretching the defense, the Suns become much easier to defend.

MEDICAL WATCH:

--G Leandro Barbosa will miss 2-4 weeks after spraining his left ankle in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win in Toronto. Barbosa historically needs every bit of the long end of his timetables to return from injuries, so don't look for him to return much before Christmas.

--F Louis Amundson, didn't make the flight to Los Angeles and missed his second game with the flu. The Suns are optimistic about his return for Tuesday's game in Dallas.