NBA Playoffs: Suns Top Lakers, 119-110

Los Angeles has now lost to Phoenix in the first round in back-to-back seasons.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

PHOENIX - The Suns accomplished late Wednesday night what their next oppononent secured earlier in the evening: a second-round playoff berth.

Phoenix never trailed and led by as many as 16 points en route to a 119-110 win over the Lakers in Game 5, wrapping up their first-round series to set up a rematch of the 2005 Western Conference Finals with San Antonio; the Spurs advanced to Round 2 by beating Denver in five-games, as well.

Amare Stoudemire, who had a monster series in the five-game loss to the Spurs two years ago, led the Suns with 27 points and 16 rebounds. Shawn Marion chipped in 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Steve Nash scored 17 points and delivered 10 assists.

Kobe Bryant scored 34 points, and Lamar Odom added a playoff career-high 33 points and 10 rebounds. Los Angeles has now lost to Phoenix in the first round in back-to-back seasons.

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports