Live Blogging: Suns at Lakers (1st half)

FIRST QUARTER

How excited do you think Kevin Harlan has been all day? I’m thinking he was fun to be around this morning.

I’m telling you right now, if this is another blowout, I’m going to bed. I don’t have the commitment to sit through two horrible games.

My man, Sasha Vujacic, gets the start in place of Kobe Bryant. This is terrible news for the Lakers. Also, it’s interesting that Luke Walton gets the start over Vlad Radmanovic. We’ll see how long that lasts. Andrew Bynum makes his first start at center for the purple and gold. This could be really, really bad for them.

Lights Out is fine. It’s a little darker, but really there’s not a huge difference on TV.

The game starts at a Phoenix pace for sure. 8-6 in favor of the Suns early as they’re getting whatever they want offensively.

Phoenix has hit their first six shots. This offensive system is something else.

Shawn Marion hits a three to put the Suns up 16-11. This game is going faster than I can type. I can’t imagine the Lakers hanging at this pace for much longer.

Kurt Thomas keeps Phoenix perfect from the floor with a 17-footer.

Marion hits another shot and will go to the line. The Suns are 9 for 9 to start the game. As if that’s not enough, in come Amare Stoudemire and Leandro Barbosa.

Whoa, Raja Bell missed a wide-open three. They’re human.

Add in a big dunk from Amare. I sense that I’m going to bed soon as Vujacic dribbles the ball off of his foot out of bounds.

It’s now 28-14. Make it 30-14 as Amare scores again. So far, he looks fine to me. My championship pick looks wonderful right now.

It’s a 20-3 run over a three minute time period. The Lakers are playing absolutely no defense in transition or half-court.

Finally, Mo Evans makes a defensive play for the Lakers and is rewarded with a lay-up at the other end. That’s precisely why they picked him up.

Amare rejects a Ronny Turiaf shot. He’s very active so far.

Barbosa knocks down a three to put Phoenix up 39-20. This is a disaster so far for the Lakers.

Wow, that was some first quarter for the Suns. They lead 41-26 and are shooting 77%.

SECOND QUARTER

Brian Cook strokes a three to start the quarter. It was reported earlier in the day that he couldn’t come to an agreement with the Lakers on a new contract, but now Ross Siler of the L.A. Daily News is reporting they’ve worked out a new three-year deal. So, there you go. I’m not a huge fan of Cook’s game. He’s a streak shooter. My understanding is that Vlad Radmanovic is also a shooter, so I don’t know why Cook is necessary.

Lamar Odom uses a nice spin move inside to get to the line. He’s going to have to continue to be aggressive like that to keep this close.

He follows my advice but misses a pretty easy lay-up. Every time the Lakers miss, the Suns score immediately.

L.O. is completely abusing Kurt Thomas. Mike D’Antoni is going to have to make an adjustment. The Lakers are making this respectable as Odom converts a three-point play.

Kobe’s wedding ring is absurd. Seriously, it looks like he’s wearing his wife’s ring.

Doug Collins is hammering home the real time rest for Steve Nash. It’s something like 23 minutes. I’ve never understood why real time rest is important. He misses his first two shots coming back off the bench. He must be rusty from all that actual time he was sitting.

Radmanovic takes a turnover all the way for a lay-up to cut the lead to 46-40. The Lakers are taking advantage of some turnovers and missed shots. It’s funny how easy it is to get back in a game when the other team finally misses some shots.

Phoenix suddenly can’t buy a basket. They’re 3 for 11 in the quarter and the Lakers are capitalizing.

The energy level has totally shifted. The Lakers are getting offensive rebounds, creating turnovers and scoring in transition. They’re also missing a ton of free throws.

Nash nails a wide-open triple to stop the run. Phoenix leads 51-43.

The Lakers are really challenging Phoenix on every shot. At the other end, Andrew Bynum takes a beautiful Smush Parker pass and turns it into a three-point play. Amazingly, the Lakers are only down six.

Bynum gives Mo Evans a gorgeous backdoor pass out of the post for a lay-up. This is the tale of two quarters to say the least and it’s a VERY entertaining game so far. The Lakers would actually be winning this game if they could make their free throws.

Shawn Marion ends another run with a wide open 10-footer. He has 14 to lead the Suns, who hold a 58-53 lead at the half.

No sleep for me!