Phoenix Suns Show Familiar Lapse, and Lakers Capitalize

From hero to goat in 3.5 seconds.

That was the Game 5 story for Jason Richardson, who followed up a miracle three-point bank shot with a nightmare box-out job on Ron Artest.

Phoenix forced Kobe, the best closer in the game, into an airball, and it bit them in the rear. Why? Because they didn't do the most important thing after contesting the initial shot—rebound.

After the initial gut-wrenching emotions, questions begin to surface.

Why was Jason Richardson, a notoriously awful crunch-time defender, in the game at all?

Why were the Suns' worst rebounders/defenders (Channing Frye, Steve Nash) in the game? Where were Lopez and Amundson, guys who consider rebounding invaluable as opposed to undervaluing it.

It's hard to get over. Contest, then rebound. They AWOL'd on half the game plan in less than four seconds. It happened so fast, it's hard to believe the result carries the weight of a 2-3 series deficit for Phoenix.

But that's what it is.

Admittedly, the Suns shouldn't have been in a position to win, not the way they started, not the way Goran Dragic and Leandro Barbosa performed, and not the way Amar'e handled the rock under pressure.

Heroic efforts by Nash, Channing Frye (who actually showed up on this road trip), and Jared Dudley pulled the Suns back, only to have it all go for naught.

Now the ultimate question—is this a dagger in the Suns' collective heart? Can they recover at home, which has proven to be a haven for them and their streaky role players?

Or will this be the game they needed, but instead got away from them? Will they let it sink in as another sign from the basketball gods that 42 years isn't a long enough wait for the franchise's first championship?

There was the feeling that if Phoenix could somehow steal Game 5, it could also steal the series. Now, the Suns need to stave off L.A. twice, including once on their home floor if they can get back there.

None of these desperate thoughts would be running rampant if Phoenix just boxed out and continued to ride its momentum, a ride that seemed destined for victory right up to Richardson's improbable three.

A ride that came to an abrupt halt with his even more improbable gaffe on the glass.