A brief history of the Phoenix Suns on Mother’s Day

INGLEWOOD, CA – 1990: Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots against the Phoenix Suns during a game played circa 1990 at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Peter Read Miller/NBAE via Getty Images)

Phoenix Suns 114 – Los Angeles Lakers 101

(2-1)

The franchise’s third opportunity to perform on Mother’s Day came in 1990 during the Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Already up 2-1 in the series, the Suns took it to the Lakers in game four pulling out a much needed victory and placing themselves one game away from defeating the Lakers in a playoff series for the first time in franchise history. After holding a 14-point lead at half, led by Magic Johnson’s career playoff-high 43 points, the Lakers mounted a furious comeback cutting the lead to five points heading into the fourth quarter. Phoenix surged forward with a run of their own though to counter the Lakers’ third quarter heroics and pulled out the victory. The Suns would go onto win the series in Los Angeles two night’s later, finally slaying the giant, and essentially ending the Lakers’ dominance over the Suns for the remainder of the decade.