Kobe scores 40 as Lakers crush Suns in Game 1

Even on a balky knee, Kobe Bryant had no problem giving the host Los Angeles Lakers an early leg up in the Western Conference finals.

Bryant scored 40 points, Lamar Odom had 19 points and 19 rebounds, and the Lakers opened the series with ruthless offensive efficiency in a 128-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns last night.

Pau Gasol had 21 points for the top-seeded Lakers, who won their seventh straight playoff game and snapped the Suns' six-game streak with a phenomenal second half highlighted by Bryant's 21-point third quarter.

"Kobe carried a lot of the offense tonight, no doubt," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

The defending NBA champions beat the third-seeded Suns at their own up-tempo game when necessary, fluidly running the court to set up baskets for Bryant in his sixth straight 30-point game. Bryant rested his sore knee for most of the fourth quarter in the 11th 40-point game of his playoff career.

"They played great, one of the best games I've seen them play in the playoffs this season," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "Kobe kind of controlled the whole game. I thought we could have withstood the game that he had . . . but when he's making his jumper like that, there's not a whole lot you can do about it."

Game 2 is Wednesday night at Staples Center.

Amare Stoudemire scored 23 points and Steve Nash had 13 points and 13 assists for the Suns, who hadn't lost since April 24. Robin Lopez started at center and scored 14 points, but Phoenix couldn't keep up with the champs in its first conference finals appearance since 2006.

Both teams swept their second-round series to earn their third postseason date in five years, but the Lakers didn't allow a week off to affect their remarkable execution. - AP