Suns Scorch the Lakers

The Lakers dropped their second game in a row losing to the Phoenix Suns 118-111. This game was all Kobe and Pau for the Lakers. Kobe and Pau combined for 79 of the Lakers 118 points. The other 3 starters for the Lakers scored 11 points total. 11!! Kobe had a monstrous game with 49 points and 11 rebounds. Gasol was unstoppable in the post with 30 points and 7 rebounds. And that was it for the Lakers. They got nothing from their teammates. Lamar Odom and Luke Walton were invisible. Derek Fisher kept clanging 3's off the rim. The bench provided only 21 points on a night when the Lakers needed more.

Phoenix had a much more balanced attack. Shaq led the way with 33 points and Matt Barnes scored 26 with 10 boards. Barbosa scored 22 and Grant Hill dropped 17. The Lakers are not going to win many games when Matt Barnes is lighting them up. The Suns front court outscored the Lakers front court 43 to 8. It didn't matter who the Lakers threw out there at the center position. Shaq exploited Gasol and Mbenga all night. Odom, Gasol, Ariza and Bryant battled foul trouble all game long. This is the first game that I have seen in awhile where the Lakers hole in the middle defensively was exposed.

The Lakers have now lost two in a row and their next game is Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies.