PHOENIX (NBA.com exclusive) -- After the game, a battered and bruised Phoenix forward Lou Amundson said he felt like he'd gone 15 rounds with the champ -- which, of course, he had.
Even with five days off to rest and prepare for the defending NBA champions, Amundson and the Suns didn't have enough in reserve to get over the top against the Lakers, who came off the ropes in the fourth and claimed a unanimous 102-96 victory.
"We just took what they gave us," said Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who had 21 points, 10 rebounds and cancelled out his seven turnovers with eight assists. "We attacked wherever they put two guys. Wherever they doubled, we did a good job of spacing, out and making shots."
So much for any whispers that the Lakers, who had lost three of their last four and were a pedestrian 5-5 over the last 10 games, were showing signs of a glass jaw. They won the season series 3-1, avenged a December loss here and ruined Phoenix's bid to go undefeated at home against the Pacific Division (they finished 7-1 overall).
Los Angeles did it with some good shooting (49 percent), balanced scoring from their starters (all five scored between 15 and 21 points) and some good old-fashioned physicality against the smaller Suns.
The rough stuff reached its apex with 5:06 left to play when, of all people, Pau Gasol took Amundson to the floor with a hard foul across the face. Incensed a flagrant foul wasn't issued, Suns coach Alvin Gentry charged the floor and was ejected by referee Mike Callahan.
Two minutes later, Amundson was sent to the floor again with a forearm by Lakers center Andrew Bynum but was whistled for the foul himself.
"I felt like a boxer out there," Amundson said afterward, his face puffy in several places. "Every time out, I had to have [Suns trainer Aaron] Nelson come over and patch me up. It was a hard foul, but I don't think [Gasol] is a dirty player or anything. He was just trying to make a play on the ball."
Teammate Ron Artest felt Gasol's past history worked in his favor on the foul. "If it was me, it definitely would have been a Flagrant 2," he said, smiling.
Phoenix's Grant Hill took three stitches in the lip in the first half after taking a Sasha Vujacic forearm to the mouth. Amundson got his licks in as well, contributing 11 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, getting Gasol and Bynum three seconds apart before a smothering rejection on Bryant at the rim.
"It was really physical all night," Amundson said.
After some initial problems dealing with Phoenix's zone defense, the Lakers gained the lead before halftime and built a 15-point lead in the third, scoring both inside and out.
Amar'e Stoudemire had 17 of Phoenix's first 26 points and finished with 29, barely missing his fourth 30-point game in a row to match a career best. But the Lakers clamped down inside and the Suns had trouble from 3-point range (6-for-21).
"I think we started playing a little bit better on the screen and roll defense," said Bynum, who finished with 18 and nine rebounds. "In the third quarter we really pounded then on the inside and that's what got us back in the game."
The Suns ended the third with a 17-4 run and took an 82-81 lead on Amundson's alley-oop dunk with 9:10 left. But the Lakers immediately responded with 12-1 run and clamped down defensively.
"We played hard, we just couldn't get over the hump," Gentry said. "They're a great team and you can see that. "
Phoenix hoped that the addition of Robin Lopez to the starting lineup would have an impact on the NBA's biggest team. But while Lopez picked up two quick fouls and failed to grab a single rebound in 19 minutes, Amundson and Jarron Collins succeeded where he failed.
But Bryant put the defensive clamps on Jason Richardson (5-for-15 shooting) and tried to get his teammates involved on the other end. Artest, Gasol and Derek Fisher each pitched in 15 points.
The Suns played without key reserves Channing Frye (NBA suspension) and Leandro Barbosa, but it was the Phoenix's starters that the Lakers took advantage of most.
"I was ready. It was a big game for us," said Stoudemire, who also had a game-high 16 rebounds. "They're fighting for home-court advantage and we're trying to move up a few notches. We left it all on the court, but the Lakers are the defending champs and they played extremely well out there.
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