A brief history of the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry
By Adam Maynes
Shaq and Nash change everything
In 1996 the Lakers acquired free agent Shaquille O’Neal and traded for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant. Immediately the power in the matchup had switched once again.
For eight years (beginning in 1995-96, the last year of the Charles Barkley era) the Lakers toyed with Phoenix, winning the series over that period of time 27-9. Twice in that stretch the Suns did tie the season series at 2, but were swept two times as well.
The two teams mercifully met in the playoffs only once in that period, in the 2000 Semifinals, in which the Lakers destroyed Phoenix 4-1 including a game five 87-65 victory that to this day remains the lowest scoring output in Suns playoff history.
Phoenix scored only 23 points in the first half including 9 in the second quarter, and only 40 points at the end of three quarters, again, all franchise lows.
But as suddenly as things changed in 1996, they too changed as dramatically once again.
Shaq was traded to Miami on the same day that the Suns signed point guard Steve Nash.
In 2004-05 Phoenix swept the season series for the second time ever and for three years held the Lakers in submission winning 10 of 12 games.
In 2006 the heavily favored Suns fell behind 3-1 in the First Round before wining three straight, including a game six Tim Thomas 3-pointer that helped Phoenix overcome a furious L.A. push to end the series in overtime.
The Suns would go on to blow the Lakers out in game seven, 121-90, a game which saw Kobe quitting on his team in an effort to prove that he needed help to win.
The two teams met again in the First Round in 2007, only Phoenix never allowed the Lakers to put a scare in the Suns as the series was over in five games; never in doubt.