Los Angeles, CA (Basketball News) - Tim Thomas’ three-pointer sent the game into overtime and the Suns used a big run in the extra session to beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 126-118, to force a Game 7 in their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Kobe Bryant had a playoff career-high 50 points, eight rebounds and five assists, but missed a potential winning shot at the end of regulation for the seventh-seeded Lakers.
Los Angeles held a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven set, but gave up 21 points in OT in Game 6 and the Lakers are now headed back to Phoenix for the deciding contest Saturday night. The Lakers and head coach Phil Jackson are in danger of losing a couple of monumental streaks. The Lakers are 27-0 in a series when ahead 3-1 and no Jackson-coached team has ever lost a playoff series when leading in 44 tries.
"I thought we just didn’t execute well in situations tonight and as a consequence we just didn’t have enough to push it over the top," Jackson said.
Steve Nash scored 32 points and dished out 13 assists for the Suns. Thomas, who hit a three with 6.3 seconds left in regulation, ended with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
"I don’t think we go out and we have this series won now," Nash said. "We’re just excited to have the chance. People counted us out before the series, people counted us out many times during the series, and we’re just trying to fight for it. We feel we’ll be better at home."
Leandro Barbosa, replacing the suspended Raja Bell, tallied 22 points for Phoenix. Barbosa guarded Bryant most of the game since Bell was suspended after knocking Bryant to the floor in Tuesday’s contest.
"We had so many things going against us, not to mention how many injuries we had this season," Nash said. "The big thing is never giving in and just making sure we all believe and have a positive attitude. It goes a long way."
Shawn Marion scored six of his 20 points in OT and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Suns, who used a 13-2 spurt in the extra period.
Lamar Odom narrowly missed a triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers.
Bryant drilled a three-pointer from the left corner over a leaping Marion with 1:47 left in the fourth quarter to boost the Lakers to a 103-102 lead and Thomas missed a three and a foul-line jumper on two straight Phoenix possessions.
The Lakers then extended to a 105-102 advantage when Bryant challenged Marion with a driving layup with 29.3 seconds remaining.
Nash missed a three from the left corner, but Marion got the offensive rebound and got the ball to Thomas, who pump-faked to get Kwame Brown to fly past him, and then hit the tying three-pointer from the top of the arc.
"He had enough guts to pump-fake and take it himself," Nash said. "That’s an experienced, tough-minded veteran playoff player. That was huge for us."
Bryant, whose jumper at the overtime buzzer won Game 4 at the Staples Center, shot an air ball while being double-teamed at the end of regulation in this contest.
"In the second half, we didn’t have any rhythm," Bryant said. "When that happens I have to step up. We were one rebound from victory."
Bryant’s turnaround jumper gave the Lakers a 109-107 lead 1:08 into OT, but the Suns responded with the big spurt. Six of those points came from Marion, including a pair of alley-oop plays. Boris Diaw tied the game with a driving hook, and Nash then found Marion for an alley-oop layup.
A layup by Diaw and a three from Thomas made it 116-109, and two more baskets from Marion, sandwiched around a Bryant hoop, moved the Suns to a 120-111 lead with 57.9 seconds remaining, effectively sealing the victory.
It was a fast-paced first quarter, as the Suns led by 10 points, but the Lakers surged for a 37-30 advantage after 12 minutes. That was highlighted by a Bryant bank shot three at the end of the period.
Phoenix rallied to take a 60-57 lead at the half and the Suns held an 88-85 advantage going into the fourth.
Los Angeles Lakers 
Phoenix Suns 
