Bryant, Lakers win to even series

PHOENIX – Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers pulled it off on a cold night in the desert for the Phoenix Suns.

Bryant had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Lamar Odom scored 21 points, and the Lakers held off a late rally to beat the Suns 99-93 Wednesday night and square the best-of-7 series 1-1.

Game 3 is Friday night in Los Angeles.

Steve Nash had 29 points and Raja Bell 23 for the Suns, who shot 43 percent – 34 percent in the first half.

Los Angeles led by as many as 17 points late in the second quarter and early in the third after Phoenix went nearly 7 1/2 minutes without a point.

Phoenix went 7:22 without scoring while the Lakers reeled off 19 points to open a 38-22 lead on Jim Jackson’s 20-footer with 6:17 left in the first half.

After Bryant’s 20-footer to start the second half, Phoenix finally mounted a run, outscoring the Lakers 20-6 to cut it to 61-58 on Tim Thomas’ 3-pointer with 5:25 left in the third. But Los Angeles scored the next six, four by Bryant, to boost the lead to 67-58.

Phoenix scored six straight, including two free throws apiece by James Jones and Shawn Marion, to cut the lead to 72-67, then Bryant’s driving bank shot just before the buzzer put the Lakers up 74-67 entering the fourth.

Notes

Other than Nash and Bell, the Suns were 4 for 21 in the first half. The front line of Marion, Boris Diaw and Thomas was a combined 3 for 15. … The Suns have never held a 2-0 lead in a playoff series against the Lakers in 10 tries. … Los Angeles beat Phoenix for the first time in nine games when the Suns had Nash in the lineup.