Suns try to collect 60th win against slumping Lakers

Phoenix is the second seed in the Western Conference standings, while the Lakers are No. 7. The Suns eliminated the Lakers in seven games in the opening round of the 2006 playoffs.

The Suns are 2-1 against the Lakers this season. The Lakers have lost five straight after winning their last three at Phoenix.

A victory tonight would give the Suns their second 60-win season in the last three campaigns. Phoenix, which won 54 games in 2005-06, was 62-20 during the 2004-05 season.

Phoenix enters tonight’s contest on a three-game winning streak. Shawn Marion scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Suns defeated the Seattle SuperSonics, 109-91, on Wednesday at US Airways Center.

Leandro Barbosa scored 20 points off the bench and Amare Stoudemire posted 18 points and 11 boards for the Suns, who have won six of their last seven games overall. Raja Bell added 14 points, while reigning MVP Steve Nash finished with 11 points and nine assists for Phoenix.

The Suns are an impressive 32-7 at home this season. After tonight’s game, they will hit the road for a pair of games against Utah and Houston. Phoenix will wrap up its season on April 18th at home versus the Clippers.

The Lakers have dropped three in a row. On Thursday, Corey Maggette scored a career-high 39 points and Elton Brand netted 32 as the Clippers rallied from 17 down to beat the cross-town rival Lakers, 118-110, despite Kobe Bryant’s 50 points at the Staples Center.

Bryant shot 17-of-33 from the field and 15-of-15 from the charity stripe. He grabbed nine rebounds, but was held scoreless in the final 8:46 of the contest. Smush Parker finished with 19 points and eight assists, while Maurice Evans added 11 points for the Lakers, who have lost seven of their last nine games overall.

The Lakers are 16-23 as the visitor this season. They will host the SuperSonics on Sunday before concluding their regular season on April 18th against Sacramento at ARCO Arena.