Lakers, Suns play Game 3 of first-round series at Staples Center

(Basketball News) - The Los Angeles Lakers attempt to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series with the Phoenix Suns, as the teams battle in Game 3 tonight at the Staples Center.

This is a best-of-seven series. Game 4 is scheduled to be played on Sunday at the Staples Center.

The Lakers bounced back in Game 2 after falling to Phoenix 107-102 in the series opener. On Wednesday, Superstar Kobe Bryant poured in 29 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and dished out five assists to lead the seventh-seeded Lakers past the second-seeded Suns, 99-93, at the US Airways Center.

Lamar Odom ended with 21 points, seven boards and five assists in Game 2s win for the Lakers, while Kwame Brown chipped in 12 points Sasha Vujacic netted 11 off the bench.

Steve Nash finished with 29 points, seven rebounds and nine assists in the loss for the Suns, while Raja Bell registered 23 points before fouling out and Shawn Marion and Boris Diaw scored 13 apiece in defeat.

The Suns are 4-6 in their last 10 Game 3s in the postseason, while the Lakers have won three of their last five Game 3s.

There is plenty of playoff history between the two clubs, as these teams are meeting for the 10th time in the postseason. The Lakers won seven of the nine previous meetings and are 2-1 against the Suns in the first round.

The Lakers knocked out the Suns in the opening round of the playoffs in 1970 and 1985, while Phoenix eliminated LA in 1993. The Lakers won semifinal series over the Suns in 1980, 1982 and 2000 and conference final sets in 1984 and 1989.

Besides their first round win over LA in 1993, the Suns also picked up a playoff series win over the Lakers in the 1990 conference semifinals.

The last time the Suns lost in the first round was in the 2003 playoffs, when they were eliminated in six games, 4-2, by San Antonio. Phoenix is appearing in the postseason for a second straight year after missing the playoffs in 2003-04 because of a poor 29-53 record.

The Lakers return to the playoffs after a one-year absence. Last season, the Lakers finished just 34-48 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1994. In their last trip to the postseason, the Lakers advanced to the 2004 NBA Finals, only to lose in five games to the Detroit Pistons.

The last time the Lakers lost in the first round was in 1996, when they fell in four games, 3-1, to the Houston Rockets.

During the regular season, the Suns won three of the four meetings between the clubs. Phoenix was a perfect 2-0 at home, while the teams split a pair at the Staples Center.

The Lakers were a solid 27-14 as the host during the regular season, while the Suns were 23-18 on the road.