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Usually it is the game of both teams on the floor that dictate the winner and loser – usually. During Friday night’s game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns, it would be the actions of Suns coach Alvin Gentry that would help Los Angeles rally and defeat Phoenix 102-96 at US Airways Center.

Gentry argued loudly to an official, claiming that Louis Amundson was fouled flagrantly. He would be ejected and had to be restrained by his assistant coaches. But prior to that incident, both teams played competitively.

Amare Stoudemire scored 17 points and 8 rebounds in the opening quarter as the Suns led by as many as nine; the Lakers, however, outscored the Suns 21-9 over the last seven minutes of the first half to lead 53-46 at the intermission. Kobe Bryant’s trey put Los Angeles ahead 69-54 with 6:26 left in the third quarter and it was 71-56 after an inside basket by Pau Gasol with 5:06 left in the period.

Steve Nash scored seven of Phoenix’s next nine points to spark a 17-4 run that cut the lead to 75-73 after Louis Amundson blocked Lamar Odom’s layup attempt, which led to a Jason Richardson layup with 22.5 seconds left. The Suns would come back to lead 82-81 after Amundson’s third dunk in the opening 2:50 of the fourth quarter.

But Shannon Brown responded with a dunk over Amundson, which started a 12-1 Lakers run; Derek Fisher’s two free throws on the two technical fouls assessed on Gentry put Los Angeles up 93-83 with 5:06 left in the game. Phoenix managed to get to within 100-96 on a Stoudemire dunk with 1:26 remaining. Amundson blocked Odom’s shot at the other end of the court, but Nash threw the ball away. Bryant iced the game for the Lakers with two of four free throws.

The starting five of the Lakers scored in double-digits, led by Bryant with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, a steal but also committed 7 turnovers while Andrew Bynum added 18 with 9 rebounds, an assist, 2 steals and a block; Ron Artest, Gasol and Fisher each scored 15 – with Artest making three 3-pointers, grabbing 3 rebounds, dishing out 2 assists, along with 2 steals while Gasol grabbed 8 boards, dished out 3 assists, along with 2 steals and 4 blocks. Fisher made three treys, grabbed 4 rebounds, dished out 4 assists, along with 2 steals.

The Suns were led by Stoudemire with 29 points and 16 rebounds while Jason Richardson added 16 with 5 rebounds and a steal; Nash chipped in 14 with 2 rebounds and 8 assists while Amundson notched a double-double, scoring 11 with 10 boards.

Los Angeles (48-18) plays again on Monday, travelling to Oakland to take on the Golden State Warriors while Phoenix (40-26) continues their home stand, hosting the New Orleans Hornets Sunday night.