Flying Home Even

Passive? Inactive?

Not Kobe Bryant, or the Lakers, or their first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns, which became much more kinetic Wednesday after a 99-93 Laker victory at US Airways Center.

Their 17-point lead got shredded and their nerves were almost frayed, but the Lakers ultimately ran away from the Suns, not the other way around, to even their best-of-seven series at 1-1.

Bryant, roundly questioned after an unusually quiet Game 1, had 29 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and made 12 of 24 shots. Lamar Odom provided another strong effort, scoring 21 points on nine-for-12 shooting.

Game 3 is Friday at Staples Center.

The Lakers had been 1-8 against the Suns over the last two seasons but remained quietly confident that their fortunes would change, their feelings backed up by a defense that stood resolute against the league’s top-scoring team.

Sun guard Steve Nash was more error-prone than usual, totaling 29 points and nine assists but also six turnovers. All-Star forward Shawn Marion had 13 points on five-for-15 shooting. Tim Thomas, who had 22 points in Game 1, was limited Wednesday to 11.

“I thought defensively it was our night,” Laker Coach Phil Jackson said. “I thought that was the best thing.”

There was also Bryant.

In Game 1, he scored 22 points on seven-for-21 shooting and was labeled passive, in a politically correct way, by pretty much everybody who mattered on the Suns.

He was more of a presence in Game 2, fighting through double teams, again finding open teammates and, this time, making open shots.

“I felt much more comfortable,” Bryant said. “Tonight I feel like we did a much better job. Everybody contributed.”

The percentages would have tilted steadily against the Lakers had they lost: Only 10 of 186 teams (5.4%) in NBA history have come back from a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

The Suns led, 22-19, and then, swiftly, a new series happened.

The Lakers went on a 19-0 run that was started by a Sasha Vujacic three-pointer, highlighted by a Smush Parker dunk and punctuated when Jim Jackson drilled a 22-foot jumper against the team that waived him a month ago. The Lakers led, 38-22, and a crowd was hushed. The Suns, who made only seven of their first 27 shots, were stunned.

“We looked like we were a little afraid to get going,” Sun Coach Mike D’Antoni said.

Bryant picked up his third personal foul with 3:02 left until halftime and, funny thing, an 11-point Laker lead actually grew slightly in his absence. Kwame Brown converted a three-point play, Parker made two free throws after a flagrant foul by Brian Grant, and the Lakers led at halftime, 53-38.

The big margin didn’t last, the Suns too quick and too experienced to stay that far down with a half to go. Their comeback was gradual, and then came the ending.

Raja Bell’s 21-foot jumper beat the shot clock and brought the Suns to within 92-89 with 1:51 to play, and the Suns had a chance to tie after Bryant missed a pull-up 19-footer. But Bell missed from three-point range and, at the other end, Odom found Parker for a layup as the shot clock wound down.

The Lakers led, 94-89, with 49.3 seconds to play. The game was all but over.

“We moved the ball, we played great defensively as a team, we played great offensively as a team,” said Bryant, already sounding the warning bell for Game 3.

“They’re an experienced team. This loss right here probably doesn’t even faze them. They’re going to come back and they’re going to come back with a vengeance. We have to make sure we’re ready for that.”

Phil Jackson, for one, seemed to tire of the passive-aggressive debate in the days between Sunday and Wednesday. He looked forward to the fact there will only be one day between games the rest of the series.

“It won’t give you guys as much time to think,” he said to reporters before the game.

But Jackson remained stubborn and resolute up to the opening tipoff. The game plan would again call for pounding it down low to Brown, who had 12 points but only two rebounds in 36 minutes.

“We’re going to run the triangle offense in some form or fashion, and they’re going to do what they do,” Jackson said.