Lakers at Suns
Kobe Bryant is expected to again rest his injured ankle when the torrid Los Angeles Lakers visit the struggling Phoenix Suns on Monday. Bryant missed Los Angeles’ victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday but the offense clicked well without him as the Lakers won for the 19th time in 26 games. Los Angeles is one game ahead of the Utah Jazz in the battle for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. Phoenix has lost four straight games.
The Suns are tied with the New Orleans Hornets for the worst record in the Western Conference and have played poorly during their latest skid. Phoenix has lost the four games by an average of 20 points and was routed 127-105 by the lowly Washington Wizards on Saturday. “I was embarrassed and I know our guys feel the same way,” Suns coach Lindsey Hunter said afterward. Los Angeles is 2-1 against the Suns this season but has lost in three straight visits to Phoenix.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, Time Warner Cable SportsNet (Los Angeles), Fox Sports Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (36-32): Point guard Steve Nash is making his second visit to Phoenix since leaving the Suns last summer and he had only two assists to go with 11 points when Los Angeles lost to the Suns on Jan. 30. Nash had 19 points and 12 assists against Sacramento for just his second double-double since Feb. 3. However, he played 35 minutes as Los Angeles used only seven players and he may not have the same energy during the second game of the back-to-back. “I’m a little bit tired,” Nash said afterward. “I think everyone’s playing more minutes, but everyone’s playing well and stepping up so it’s been really enjoyable.” Reserves Antawn Jamison (27 points, nine rebounds) and Steve Blake (16 points, eight assists) both had huge outings against the Kings.
ABOUT THE SUNS (22-45): Point guard Goran Dragic plays nearly 33 minutes per game but there are many nights when Hunter wishes Dragic could play the entire game. An example of that was the loss to the Wizards, when Phoenix’s level of play dropped significantly while Dragic was getting breathers. “If I could play Goran Dragic for 48 minutes, I would but I can’t kill him that way,” Hunter said. “When he is out of the game, guys are going to have to take responsibility and step up. That’s just the reality of it. But it may be a matter of me having to play him for 48 minutes and if I have to do that, I will.” Dragic likely wouldn’t mind that when going up against Nash, a former mentor when the two were teammates. Dragic had 12 points and 11 assists against the Wizards and is averaging 13 points and seven assists in three games against Los Angeles this season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The home team has prevailed in each of the last eight meetings.
2. Lakers C Dwight Howard had 17 rebounds against Sacramento and has grabbed 12 or more in each of the last 14 games.
3. Phoenix has allowed an average of 113.2 over its last six games.