NEW YORK, May 6 Reuters - The Phoenix Suns became only the eighth team to win an NBA playoff series from 3-1 down when they crushed the Los Angeles Lakers 121-90 to clinch their first round match-up 4-3 today.
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 opens on Monday in Phoenix.
We just have to get as much rest as possible and do the best we can in the next day and a half and get ready,'' Nash added. Nash left the action briefly with a sprained ankle but due to the lopsided score only had to play 35 minutes and he thinks he will be ready for the second-round opener. Shawn Marion added 14 points and 10 rebounds while Nash had 13 points, nine assists and six rebounds as the Suns took control early and were never seriously threatened. 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. In the last two games on our home floor we were pretty dominant,’’ Phoenix coach Mike D’Antoni said.
``We have seven guys having career years. It just puts on display their heart and their courage.’’
Kobe Bryant had 24 points to lead the Lakers but he 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.