Lakers 139, Suns 137 (OT)
Kobe Bryant had 42 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists and Lamar Odom had 29 points and 16 boards as the Los Angeles Lakers earned a thrilling, hard-fought 139-137 victory in triple overtime against the visiting Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
The game matched a pair of triple-overtime affairs involving the New Jersey Nets as the longest game this season and was the highest-scoring contest of the campaign.
The Lakers (51-20) are 13-1 since the All-Star break and have won seven in a row at home.
Grant Hill's 3-pointer from the right side with 31 seconds left pulled Phoenix into a 112-112 tie, sending the game to overtime.
The teams exchanged baskets before Ron Artest made a 25-footer from the left side with 1:27 remaining for a 119-116 lead. Derek Fisher's two free throws made it 121-118, but Odom fouled Channing Frye on a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left, and Frye sank all three free throws to force a second OT.
Frye gave Phoenix a 130-128 lead with a 3-pointer with 52 seconds left. Pau Gasol made two free throws with 2.5 seconds left after Bryant saved the ball from going out of bounds.
In the third overtime, Bryant drilled a 3-pointer before Artest pickpocketed Steve Nash for a steal and dunk and a 135-132 lead, then sank a running leaner. Frye made another 3-pointer, but Bryant gave the Lakers a 139-135 lead with an ill-advised runner with 14 seconds left.
Frye had a career-high 32 points and 14 rebounds for the Suns (35-34). Nash had 19 points and 20 assists and Marcin Gortat had 24 points and 16 rebounds.
As he often has this season, Odom started for center Andrew Bynum, who served the second of a two-game suspension for a flagrant foul.
The Lakers looked like they would breeze to victory, taking an 89-68 lead with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, but had to endure one of their toughest games of the season.
Gasol had 24 points and 13 rebounds.