AP News
(2010-05-18 03:46:02)
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Lakers held off a second half fightback by the Phoenix Suns to increase their lead in the Western Conference finals with a 124-112 Game Two victory on Wednesday.
The Suns, crushed 128-107 in the series opener on Monday, trailed by 14 points early in the second quarter before raising hopes of an upset victory on their opponents' home floor when they leveled at 90-90 going into the final session.
However, the bigger Lakers coolly raised their level with their powerful inside presence and Spanish forward Pau Gasol, the dominant player in the fourth quarter, finished with a game-high 29 points.
The best-of-seven series shifts to Phoenix for Game Three on Sunday with the Lakers leading 2-0.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by John O'Brien)
