NEW YORK - The Phoenix Suns became only the eighth team to win a NBA play-off series from 3-1 down when they crushed the Los Angeles Lakers 121-90 to clinch their first-round match-up 4-3 yesterday.
Leandro Barbosa scored 26 points and Boris Diaw 21, two of seven Suns in double
figures for Phoenix in the final game of the Western Conference opening-round series.
A last-second basket by Kobe Bryant had given the Lakers a dramatic win in Game Four and a 3-1 series lead, but Phoenix's Steve Nash said the Suns never gave up hope.
"We realised we were really close to being up in the series and we hadn't got any breaks and hadn't played that well." Nash said.
"We had a good attitude and we started to get some breaks."
Phoenix will meet the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round, which starts tomorrow in Phoenix.
Shawn Marion added 14 points and 10 rebounds while Nash had 13 points, nine assists and six rebounds as the Suns took control early.
Phoenix led 32-15 after the first quarter and 60-45 at the half, and took complete control in the third quarter to lead by 25 points heading into the fourth.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson had a 14-0 career record in the first round of the play-offs, but the Suns wore Los Angeles down in the latter part of the series. After escaping with an overtime win in game six, they were not to be denied.
Kobe Bryant had 24 points to lead the Lakers but was not a factor in the second half as the Suns held Los Angeles to just 35 per cent shooting while managing a sizzling 61 per cent from the field themselves.
- REUTERS
