Nba Playoffs Western Conference, Nba Playoffs Western Conference Finals | featured news

Ron Artest beat the buzzer with a wild bank shot after rebounding Kobe Bryant’s miss, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns 103-101 on Thursday night to take a 3

They had the best seat in the house, Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire did. Cushioned, with a courtside view of one of the most important games in recent Suns history. Ordinarily, Nash and Stoudemire would be on the floor, running and gunning, trying to power Phoenix to a critical victory in the fourth quarter. But on Tuesday night, their place was on the bench, watching. Watching the Suns' second unit manhandle the Lakers starters on the way to a Western Conference finals series-tying 115-106 win.

Amare Stoudemire matched his career playoff high with 42 points, 29 in the second half, and grabbed 11 rebounds to power the Phoenix Suns to a 118-109 victory Sunday night that cut the Los Angeles Lakers’ lead in the series to 2-1.

The Los Angeles Lakers are halfway to another NBA finals, and their fans already know who they want their dominant defending champions to play next.

Kobe Bryant dribbled toward the Lakers' bench, luring Channing Frye and Jason Richardson along with him. Bryant leaned back and launched a feather-soft jumper over Phoenix's double team, neatly beating the first-quarter buzzer....