Phoenix:118 Lakers:109 Series Lakers Lead 2-1.
Few people outside Arizona full understood this until Sunday night, when they set aside a faltering 3-point game and attacked the basket in pulling out a 118-109 win over the Lakers.
The Lakers still lead the Western Conference Finals, 2-1, with Game 4 set for Tuesday night in Phoenix
Yes, this time it was the Suns who had the edge inside thanks to a wondrous game by Amare Stoudemire (42 points on 14-of-22 shooting) plus 11 rebounds.
"I wanted to attack their bigs a little bit and get them into foul trouble," said Stoudemire, who'd played poorly in Games 1 and 2 in Los Angeles.
Then too, the basketball world got to see the best of Robin Lopez, who gave the Suns an invaluable, second major inside weapon by hitting 8-of-10 for 20 points.
Lopez, who missed seven weeks recently with back problems, hadn't been emphasized at all in the Suns' losses in Los Angeles.
At the other end, Suns coach Alvin Gentry pulled a rabbit out of his coaching hat by using a zone defense to slow down the Lakers' offense, a juggernaut in Los Angeles.
"It took us a long time to figure it out," the Lakers Pau Gasol said of the zone, where Lopez patrolled the middle with Stoudemire playing to the left of the hoop.
The idea was to make the Lakers beat the Suns over the top while hoping the Lakers didn't shoot as well as they did in Los Angeles, Gentry said.
The truth be told, "In practice (Saturday), it was the worst it's ever been. It really wasn't good."
But the Suns decided to give it a try.
"We stuck with it, and it worked," said Gentry, who employed a zone somewhat reluctantly during the season.
"We can play a zone. I just didn't think we'd play 80 percent zone."
"It's always hard to play a zone against that triangle offense," Stoudemire said. "You have to have great activity."
The Suns also got 17 points and 15 assists (with just one turnover) from Steve Nash and 19 points from Jason Richardson.
The Suns shot just 5-for-20 on 3-pointers. But their inside emphasis got them a 42-20 free throw edge.
"They attacked the hoop tonight" while, "We stayed home on the 3-point shooters" Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.
For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant had a great game.
The superstar knocked down 13-for-24 for 36 points, and he passed for 11 assists. Gasol added 23 points and nine rebounds.
But Lamar Odom, who killed the Suns in Los Angeles, shot a modest 4-for-14. He had 10 points and six rebounds and fouled out while Ron Artest shot 4-for-13 for 12 points.
The Lakers also only got two points and two boards in eight minutes from Andrew Bynum. Jackson said he'll consider holding out the hobbling Bynum for a game.
In addition, the Lakers -- who had their NBA-best, 8-game playoff win streak broken -- may have to adjust their approach to Stoudemire.
"He's a great player," Bryant said
"He had a couple of tough games. He wasn't going to come out here and roll over. I saw this coming."
Early on, the Suns were reduced to trading Channing Frye's woeful 3-point tries -- he was 0-for-7 in the first half -- with point-blank shots by Gasol.
Add that to the fact that the Suns failed to capitalize on their 11-0 margin in first quarter free throws -- they still trailed 32-29 heading into the second quarter -- and the Lakers' chances appeared solid.
In fact, when the Lakers led 45-39 midway through the second quarter, they looked like they might knock down 120-plus points for the third straight game.
But when the Suns put the 3-pointers on hold and started getting the ball inside -- while coming up with stops at the other end -- they started to take control of the game.
Lopez gave the Suns' an inside presence as the Suns closed the half on a
15-2 run, good for a 54-47 lead.
The Suns' margin would have been greater had not Richardson missed two layups; his difficulties in converting at the rim have come up a number of times this season.
The Suns struggled to crack the game open, though, because their vaunted 3-point game -- one of the best in NBA history -- couldn't shake the Lakers' watchful defense.
The Suns led 93-92 in the final quarter when Stoudemire attacked the hoop, drew a foul and hit two free throws.
Then Bryant fumbled away a pass, and Jason Richardson took advantage by hitting a 3-pointer.
That made it 98-92 with 6:57 left.
The Suns stumbled, momentarily, on turnovers by Stoudemire and Grant Hill and a push-off foul on Nash on a rebound hauled in by Stoudemire.
The Lakers thus closed to 100-96 with 4:00 left.
Then Stoudemire, with the ball up high, spotted an opening and drove for a score.
Next, Odom fouled Lopez, and the big center converted both free throws.
After Artest missed a 3-pointer, the Suns put on a passing clinic, finally whipping the ball to Nash on the right side for a wide-open 17-footer.
He hit it. The Suns had a 106-96 lead with 2:42 left and the game.
