Let’s start with the game itself…
More important than Pau Gasol’s 28 points, Sasha Vujacic’s season-high 15 off the bench or Lamar Odom’s nine boards and seven assists was a Lakers’ defense that finally got its shutdown quarter after a subpar couple weeks of D. Even more significant is that the stretch came halfway through the fourth quarter, when the Lakers went on a defense-inspired 12-4 run to seal a win against a shorthanded, but feisty, Phoenix squad.
Having just made a trade for Charlotte’s Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley that left Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and James Singletary out of uniform, each Suns starter played at least 32 minutes, though the Suns seemed to come together rather than disintegrate in a tough environment.
Yet and still, perhaps even more interesting then the outcome of the game was Phil Jackson’s lineup, which for the first time this season featured a starting group that included Luke Walton instead of Vladimir Radmanovic.
“We just needed to get the ball moving, someone in there to pass the ball,” Jackson explained after the game. “Vlade is a terrific shooter. Luke is a really good passer and play-maker … I just felt the team was lacking a little bit of that.”
Walton did what was instructed of him - move the basketball - to the tune of six assists, plus two steals and eight points. Radmanovic didn’t get into the game, with Ariza seeing all the backup minutes at the three, though Vujacic earned 19:17 of action and responded with 4-of-5 shooting, a block, a steal, two assists and a board … plus some solid defense on the Brazilian Blur Leandro Barbosa. Jackson actually went back to the lineup used late in games during last year’s Finals run (Fisher, Vujacic, Bryant, Odom and Gasol), and was rewarded with a victory.
Your numbers:
2
The biggest lead held at any point of the game by the Suns.
3
Steals by Derek Fisher, whose defense was praised after the game by Phil Jackson.
11
Boards from Andrew Bynum to lead the Lakers, who out-boarded the Suns 43-40. Bynum was a force in the paint particularly in the first half, when he made 5-of-9 shots for 12 of his 17 points, and grabbed six boards.
19
Combined boards (nine), assists (seven), steals (two) and blocks (one) from Lamar Odom, who made the most of his 27 minutes despite taking only three shots and not scoring until two dunks and two free throws in the fourth quarter gave him six points.
30
Assists from the Lakers, who had the ball moving much better than in recent games in part thanks to Walton. Bynum, Bryant and Fisher had three dimes each, while Gasol had four, Odom seven and Farmar and Vujacic two each. L.A.’s season high in assists came against Toronto (34).
48
Three-point percentage by Fisher on the season. Fish hit 2-of-5 from distance on Wednesday, though two of his misses barely rimmed out. L.A.’s point guard currently ranks sixth in the NBA in three-point percentage.
79
Shooting percentage by Pau Gasol en route to his game-high 28 points. Gasol hit 11-of-14 from the field, and 6-of-7 from the line. He’s now shooting 57.1 percent for the season, which ranks fourth in the NBA. Gasol is simply on fire.
