The Phoenix Suns made 22 three-pointers, the second highest in an NBA game, to beat two-time defending champions the Los Angeles Lakers 121-116 on Sunday.
Jason Richardson scored a game-high 35 points and knocked down seven threes as the Suns (5-4) fell just short of the NBA record of 23 three-pointers set by the Orlando Magic last year.
“I didn’t know what the record was. I know we made a lot of them,” Richardson told reporters. “I didn’t know we were close to the record or anything like that.”
PHOTO: AFP
Steve Nash scored 12 of his 21 points in the final five minutes and added 13 assists. The All-Star point guard found Hedo Turkoglu for a final clinching shot from long distance with 34 seconds left to push the Suns’ lead to six.
The Lakers (8-2) lost their second straight game after starting the year 8-0, despite a strong offensive performance.
Spanish forward Pau Gasol had 28 points and 17 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant fell one board shy of a triple-double with 25 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds.
LAMAR ODOM PUT UP 22 POINTS AND 11
rebounds, but received a critical technical foul with 53 seconds left when the Lakers were trailing by two.
“I don’t think the NBA wants those type of things to happen, it changes the context of the ball game,” Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said.
Even without the technical free-throw, the Lakers could not stop the offensive onslaught from the Suns, who shot 51 percent from the field and were 22-for-40 behind the three-point line for the game.
In a tight contest, Phoenix took the lead for good in the third where they led by as much as 13 points.
SPURS 117, THUNDER 104
In Oklahoma City, the San Antonio Spurs stretched their NBA winning streak to seven games with a win over the Thunder.
Matt Bonner scored 21 points and just missed the Spurs franchise record by hitting all seven of his three-point shots. Bonner swished home three of them during a 21-8 run to open the fourth quarter.
Sunday’s other results:
‧ Hawks 111, Timberwolves 105
‧ Pistons 100, Kings 94
‧ Rockets 104, Knicks 96
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