Phoenix (AP)— There was no one-man show for the Los
Angeles Lakers this time.
Kobe Bryant got
plenty of help in an intense 102-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns on
Friday night.
All five Lakers starters scored at least 15, led
by Bryant’s 20
points, 10
rebounds and eight assists—along with seven turnovers.
The Suns rallied from 15 down in the second half
and led briefly
early in
the fourth quarter before the Lakers pulled ahead for good.
“We played with a lot of poise,” Bryant said. “They got
back into it
but
we never really got rattled. We just had to execute and take what the
defense
gives us.”
Los Angeles had lost three of four overall and
four in a row on the
road.
“At some point we have to step it up,” the
Lakers’ Pau Gasol
said. “I
think it was a perfect opportunity for us tonight to step it up and play
a good
game and have a nice win and get ourselves going, because we have been
kind of
struggling for the most part, especially on the road.”