Lakers Show Suns Who's the Boss

The Phoenix Suns are turning heads all over the league as they returned to their run-and-gun form and piled up wins in the process. They've ranked pretty high rankings in the past weeks. With an 8-1 record, who wouldn't say the Phoenix Suns have risen from the ashes?

Definitely not the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers gave the Suns a dose of their own medicine by running and gunning, but also added good defense to win the game that featured the top two teams in the Western Conference. The final score read 121-102, but it would have been more lopsided. The normally hot-shooting Suns (averaging close to 50% FG percentage prior to the game) were snuffed by the Lakers defense.

Andrew Bynum is now back and he toyed with the Suns' smallish front line en route to 26 points and 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Bynum looked active on court but wasn't explosive, but it was good enough to give Amare Stoudemire fits.

Kobe Bryant methodically sliced the Suns in the post and it's now becoming apparent that his off-season sessions with Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon is starting to yield dividends. Apart from terrorizing opponents with his back to the basket, Kobe's posting up opens several opportunities for his teammates in the perimeter.

So are the Phoenix Suns the lords of the Western Conference? The Lakers reminded the Suns and the rest of us who's the boss.

Technorati: Los Angeles Lakers