Provident. Divine. Blessed. Regardless Lakersare - and no doubt Amar'e Stoudemire home in the evening browsing thesaurus her - so much is clear through the first two games in the Western Conference finals: There is no stopping them.
Lakers jumped to a 2-0 series lead Wednesday night with a 124-112 victory over the Suns, who have given so much resistance as a collection of Saguaro cacti.
The determination of the Lakers 'victory is already beginning to Los Angeles fans' sights past three games and four in Phoenix, and against his nemesis Boston, which opened in the Eastern Conference finals by winning the first two games in Orlando.
Most of the last 90 seconds were played with fans in the upper part of the Staples Center chanting "We want Boston."
Until then, they had turned their devotion to Kobe Bryant, who set fire to the Suns for 40 points in the opener, turned into Kobe the facilitator. Bryant had 13 assists to go along with 21 points, while Pau Gasol scored 27 points as the Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter after Phoenix had scrambled back from an early 14-point deficit.
Lamar Odom, the 19-point, 19-rebound performance in Game 1 was called successful Stoudemire, managed 17 points and 11 rebounds. The comment drew a shrug from Odom and a few shakes his head from the sun. Phoenix Coach Alvin Gentry called Stoudemire's ridiculous assertion on Tuesday and Wednesday he said it was probably just a bad choice of words.
Stoudemire was not the last word on Wednesday, managing 18 points and six rebounds, and fighting to defend Gasol down the stretch.
Jason Richardson scored 27 points and Grant Hill, who had 23 of his 27 points in the second half, as Phoenix. Steve nash had 15 assists and 11 points.
But the Suns were undone by their matador defense. Bryant, rejuvenated after you got the swollen left knee drained at the end of the first round series against Oklahoma City, did Hill looks like he was in danger of having an ankle operation in Game 1 after Bryant's crossover dribble sent Hill stumbled back on the floor.
Bryant wasted little time we confirm his superiority in Game 2 On the opening day possession, he supported Hill down and hit a 18-foot jumper over him. Then suns send a second player at him, Bryant spent much of the rest of the night up his teammates.
With the ball in his hands since the first quarter clock ran down, he began to curve, and then lowered the ball to a wide open Ron Artest in the corner. Artest, with the audience on their feet was shot, buzzer sounded, and Bryant celebrated a 36-24 lead by pointing both his index fingers at Artest.
There was a point well made - if you let the Lakers open the second, Bryant was more than willing to put the ball in his hands.
Bryant is a sign of mortality came while dribbling back and forth between his legs, took Jared Dudley pocket, leading to a break dunk.
Phoenix will fall behind by as many as 14, and then close itself late in the third quarter, but as the night moved, it became increasingly clear that, despite improvements in their - and interest - to play defense, but also kept an SOS sign - Same old Suns.
When the Suns beat Lakers from the playoffs in 2006 and 2007, asked the Lakers to retool, and they have repeatedly hammered Phoenix. It was the Lakers' ninth victory in 11 meetings since they acquired Gasol.
Then no matter how smart the suns' offense looked at times - Nash was effective to create impressive dunk for Stoudemire, or open three-pointers for Dudley and Richardson - they rarely stopped the Lakers. And they stop mostly came when Sun's book was path .
In the first two games of the series, shot Lakers 58 percent from the field.
It has been easy money for the Los Angeles date - the kind Coach Phil Jacksonmay not serve next year.
Jackson, making $ 12,000,000 this season, have confirmed a radio report from ESPN's Michael Wilbon that he has been asked by owner Jerry Buss, to take a pay cut next season. But Jackson would not say whether he had been told his salary next year will be limited to five million dollars.
"It's still a ridiculous salary, whatever it is," said Jackson.
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