Very good game. the difference was the Lakers defense. It got the Suns so disrupted that it took them out of their normal offense. Even so, the Suns almost took the game away from the Lakers at home. LA is now up 3-2 in the series, but IMO, this is going to go seven games. The Suns still have to win one in LA to advance and last night was a test run. Close, but not quite there.
Gentry will have to find a way to get his team more comfortable with the ways the Lakers are playing D. He might want to consider pointing out to the officials that the Lakers are piling men in the lane, who aren't guarding anyone, which is illegal defense, in order to stop Stoudamire, Lopez and Hill from driving. They are also more than a little physical.
Technically the Lakers are a dirty team, but then again the officials are allowing it. Lots of turnovers were actually Laker fouls that were not called.
