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Nash downs Kobe and the Lakers 99-94

PHOENIX -- Victoria's Steve Nash scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half - including two free throws with 5.4 seconds to play, and the Phoenix Suns held on to beat the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers 99-94 on Sunday.

Leandro Barbosa added 20 points and Amare Stoudemire 17 points and 11 rebounds, but the Suns barely held off a Los Angeles Lakers team without Lamar Odom, out indefinitely after tearing his left labrum on Friday.

Shawn Marion, who had missed the two previous games with a bruised right hand, had 13 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out with 22.8 seconds to play. Raja Bell scored 14, including two free throws that put Phoenix ahead 97-92 with 18.1 seconds to go.

Kobe Bryant scored 18 of his 30 points in the second half - but shot just 11-of-28 overall - in the first meeting of the teams since the season opener. The Los Angeles Lakers won that one in Los Angeles without Kobe Bryant, and they made it tough on Phoenix this time, too.

The Suns, 7-1 since Nash returned from a shoulder injury after the all-star break, took the lead for good midway through the third quarter but could build no more than a 10-point advantage after that.

Coach Phil Jackson's Los Angeles Lakers, who took favoured Phoenix to seven games in the first round of last year's playoffs, were able to slow the frenetic pace favoured by the Suns most of the afternoon.

Brian Cook had 22 points - including 4-of-6 three-pointers - and 14 rebounds for Los Angeles.

It was an often-sloppy contest that featured 35 turnovers - 19 by the Los Angeles Lakers and 16 by Phoenix.

Nash, 2-for-11 shooting in the first half, made seven of his first eight in the second half before missing a pair late. He had 10 assists.

The Suns used a 9-0 run to go up 65-57 with 4:31 to play in the third quarter. James Jones and Bell both sank three-pointers in the spurt.

A three-pointer by Sasha Vujacic and a free throw by Kobe Bryant cut it to 66-63 with 1:32 to left in the third, but Bell made consecutive threes, and Marion sank a 10-foot rebound basket at the buzzer in an 11-4 surge that put Phoenix ahead 74-67 entering the fourth.

Nash's three-pointer gave the Suns an 86-76 lead with 6:47 to play, but the Los Angeles Lakers came back with an 8-2 spurt, cutting it to 92-88 on Cook's fourth three-pointer of the day with 3:19 remaining.

Kobe Bryant scored inside to slice the lead to 93-90 with 2:46 to go. But he missed one of two from the line and it was 95-91 1:47 from the finish.

Shammond Williams made 1-of-2 free throws to cut it to 95-92, then Bell made two from the line to boost the lead to 97-92. Cook's tip-in with 6.1 seconds to play cut it to 97-94 before Nash's free throws sealed the win.

Notes: Muhammad Ali, who lives in the Phoenix area, had a courtside seat and received a standing ovation when he was introduced to the crowd. He got another ovation when he left late in the third quarter. ... Both Odom and Luke Walton (sprained right ankle) are scheduled to meet with specialists on Monday. ... Suns coach Mike D'Antoni says Boris Diaw is feeling much better and could play Wednesday against Charlotte. Diaw, Phoenix starter, has missed nine games with back spasms.

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