Defense Dominates as Suns Go Down
Well, turns out the Phoenix Suns could be stopped, chopped and dropped.
Turns out the Lakers, when properly motivated and menacingly into the moment, could lasso the trickiest, friskiest opponents and turn a series-clinching playoff game into a 48-minute defensive dissertation.
The Lakers had a point to make in Game 5 of this sometimes-sloppy series, and many, many more to prevent.
They blocked shots, clamped down the lanes, denied fast-break chances, swarmed the ball and, along the way, breezed to an emphatic 87-65 victory at Staples Center to finish off the Suns, four games to one.
The Lakers not only stopped the high-powered Suns, they all but made them invisible.
The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference finals and seemed to revitalize themselves in the process.
The performance no doubt delivered a ringing statement to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Lakers’ opponent in the Western Conference finals: They may have weaknesses, but the Lakers can turn out the lights on teams--fast.
Phoenix made only 23 of 80 shots(28.8%) and the Suns’ scoring total set a Laker record-low for opponent playoff points.
It was 49-23 at halftime, tying an NBA record for fewest points in a half by a team.
IN QUOTES
“I think it’s a statement to the city of Los Angeles just to relax. You lose one game, it’s not Armageddon. We were upset because we got our butts kicked very bad. That was it.”
KOBE BRYANT,
Laker guard
*
“I didn’t think the Lakers were great or anything. We just couldn’t make a shot.”
SCOTT SKILES,
Sun coach
THE SERIES
Lakers win series, 4-1
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