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 Dragic scored 24 points, and the Suns held off the Los Angeles
Lakers for a 116-107 win Sunday night at Staples Center.
Bledsoe added 22 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and four
steals as the Suns (18-14) handed the Lakers a third consecutive
loss. Guard Isaiah Thomas came off the Phoenix bench to deliver 15
points and three steals.
"The first half we didn't play defense well," said Dragic, who made
nine of 16 shots overall, including four of six from behind the
3-point arc. "They had too many open shots (and) offensive rebounds.
But in the third and fourth quarter, we started playing better. We
were more aggressive on defense and offense. We got some fast-break
points and because of that we won the game."
Being aggressive paid off in the end, Bledsoe said.
"All my teammates kept telling me to keep attacking, keep attacking,
and that's what I was doing," said Bledsoe, who scored 20 of his
points in the second half. "I just tried to do my job on the court,
and that's to help motivate everyone else."
 Guard Nick Young scored 21 points and backup point guard Jeremy Lin
finished with 19 points to lead Los Angeles (9-22).
Lakers guard Kobe Bryant returned after missing three games due to
fatigue. Bryant labored at times in Sunday's contest, scoring 10
points on 4-for-10 shooting, pulling down eight rebounds and dishing
out seven assists in 32 minutes. Bryant, though, said the tired legs
that limited him in previous games weren't a problem.
"I felt fine. My legs feel a little better," Bryant said. "Just
working myself back into things, but I feel fine."
The Suns held a 94-81 cushion early in the fourth quarter after a
3-point basket by reserve guard Gerald Green. However, the Lakers
rallied. A jumper by Young and a 3-pointer by Lin pulled Los Angeles
within 100-97 with 5:28 remaining.
Phoenix pushed the margin back to nine after forward P.J. Tucker's
bucket with 4:17 left, but again the Lakers came back on consecutive
3-pointers by forward Wesley Johnson, who finished with 14 points.
Young's two foul shots cut the gap to 106-105 with 2:21 left, but
the Lakers faltered down the stretch.
"We missed some key opportunities," said Bryant, who missed the only
shot he took in the fourth quarter and failed to score in the
period.
Tucker's layup gave the Suns a three-point lead again before forward
Markieff Morris' turnaround jumper inside extended the advantage to
five points with 49 seconds remaining.
The Lakers failed to convert on their next three possessions as the
Suns clinched their fifth road victory in their past six attempts.
Four of those road wins came against clubs -- the Charlotte Hornets,
New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings and Lakers -- with losing records.
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However, Bledsoe dismissed the quality of the opponents, saying any
win in an opponent's arena is big.
"This team is a great road team," Bledsoe said. "We find a way and
stick it out."
Dragic's jumper gave the Suns a 63-61 lead with 7:24 remaining in
the third quarter. Phoenix never trailed again.
Bryant's 3-pointer cut the Suns' lead to 77-76 with 2:55 left, but
Bledsoe scored eight of his 16 third-quarter points in the final
2:41, allowing Phoenix to close on an 11-5 run for a 88-81 advantage
heading into the fourth quarter.
"Just couldn't get a stop, and when we got a stop, they got the
offensive rebound," Lakers coach Byron Scott said. "That's, I think,
the most disheartening thing. We were right there, again, played
hard for 48 minutes. The last couple of minutes of the game is where
we seemed to just lose it."
NOTES: Lakers coach Byron Scott said C Tarik Black, whom the club
obtained Sunday off waivers from the Houston Rockets, gives the team
a rugged and defensive presence inside. "Big, physical, strong kid.
Very intelligent," Scott said of the 6-foot-11, 250-pound rookie.
"Love to see him get here as soon as quick as possible so we can get
him in action on the practice court and just go from there." Black,
who averaged 4.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per game
with Houston, is expected to take a physical Monday and could be in
uniform when Los Angeles visits the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. ...
The Suns cap their four-game road swing with games against the New
Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on
Wednesday.
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