Kobe Bryant scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 99-93 win over the Phoenix Suns in National Basketball League playoff action Wednesday.
The Lakers took a commanding lead early in the game had a 17-point lead by halftime. Steve Nash scored 29 points and had nine assists for Phoenix, which shot just 42 percent from the field. The two teams are now tied in their first-round Western Conference playoff series at one game apiece.
Also in the West, the Dallas Mavericks routed the Memphis Grizzlies 94-79 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their first-round series. Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points for the Mavericks, who held Memphis star Pau Gasol to just 16 points.
Memphis is now zero-for-10 in the NBA playoffs, and is danger of being swept from the the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
In the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons had six players score in double figures as they beat the Milwaukee Bucks 109-98 to take a 2-0 series lead. Detroit's Tayshaun Prince led the team with 22 points, while Chauncey Billups had 20 points. Richard Hamilton added 18 points, despite a sprained ankle.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.