LOS ANGELES: Kobe Bryant and the mighty Los Angeles Lakers rode into the desert with the league’s best record, but they were a distant second best on the court Monday night.
Amare Stoudemire scored 26 points, reserve Jared Dudley matched a career-high with 19, and Suns shot down the short-handed defending NBA Champions, with a resounding 1118-103 victory.
“We’re really pleased to get a win against that team because they’re the best team in the league,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said.
Steve Nash collected 16 points with 13 assists, Channing Frye had 14 points with 11 rebounds, while Goran Dragic also talled 14 for the Suns (20-12) whose bench outscored the Lakers substitutes, 52-31.
Kobe Bryant dropped in 34 points, Lamar Odom had nine with 13 rebounds in place of Ron Artest (concussion) for the Lakers (24-6) who have dropped two of their last three games.
The Suns had lost the first two meetings in Los Angeles by 21 and 20 points in the second of back-to-back games. However, they out-worked, out-shot, and out-hustled the Lakers to the delight of the sellout home crowd.
Phoenix led 56-50 at halftime before breaking the game open with a barrage of three-pointers in the third quarter.
Ahead 67-62, Frye hit a pair of triples, while Nash, Jason Richardson and Dudley each hit one apiece in a 20-6 run, extending the lead to 87-68.
Leading 102-87 with eight minutes left, Lakers coach Phil Jackson conceded victory and pulled Bryant from the game.
Warriors 103, Celtics 99: Monta Ellis scored 37, including two free throws with 2.3 seconds left, and the Warriors (9-21) overcame an early 18-point deficit to send the Celtics to their second road loss in as many nights.
Rajon Rondo had 30 points with 15 assists, Ray Allen scored 24 for the Eastern Conference-leading Celtics (23-7) whose nine-game road-winning streak was snapped 92-90 by the lowly LA Clippers and Baron Davis’ buzzer-beater on Sunday night.
Kings 106, Nuggets 101: Argentine-native Andres Nocioni scored a season-high 21 points, Slovenian Beno Udrih had 17, including a key three-point play with 1:41 left, and the Kings overcame the absence of rookie Tyreke Evans (ankle sprain) to edge the visiting Nuggets.
League top scorer Carmelo Anthony scored 34 and Nene had 25 for the Nuggets (20-12) who made just 20-of-35 free throws en route to their fifth loss in six games.
Philadelphia 76ers 104, Trail Blazers 93: Reserve Elton Brand had a season-high 25 points, Allen Iverson returned from a four-game absence (knee arthritis) with 19 and the visiting Sixers (8-22) snapped the Blazers’ four-game winning streak.
Brandon Roy topped injury-riddled Portland (20-13) with 24 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge added 17 and 12 rebounds.
Oklahoma 105, Nets 89: Kevin Durant tied his season high with 40 points, Russell Westbrook had 16 with 10 assists and the visiting Thunder handed the lowly Nets their 10th straight loss.
China’s Yi Jianlian led league-worst New Jersey (2-29) with career-high tying 29 points.
Bobcats 94, Bucks 84: Gerald Wallace had 21 points with 14 rebounds and the Bobcats built a 22-point halftime cushion to send the visiting Bucks to their fourth straight setback.
Brandon Jennings scored 24 points for the Bucks (12-17) whose coach, Scott Skiles bench ineffective starters Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut in the second half.
Grizzlies 116, Wizards 111 (OT): O.J. Mayo scored 28 points, Zach Randolph had six of his 23 in the overtime and grabbed 19 rebounds, helping the Grizzlies (14-18) to their fourth straight home victory.
Gilbert Arenas had 30 points with five threes, Antawn Jamison had 24 with 12 rebounds for the Wizards (10-19) who were outscored 14-9 in the extra session.
