Great rivalry · Team vs team
Lakers vs Suns: Kobe’s climb back through Phoenix
The Seven Seconds or Less Suns exposed a rebuilding Lakers team twice before Kobe Bryant’s next contender returned to settle the argument.
The story in one sentence
The Seven Seconds or Less Suns exposed a rebuilding Lakers team twice before Kobe Bryant’s next contender returned to settle the argument.
A rivalry can track one team’s rebuilding curve.
The same matchup changes when the supporting cast changes.
A broken play can become the permanent image of an entire series.
Timeline
How it unfolded
2005–06
A 3–1 lead disappears
Bryant’s overtime winner gave the seventh-seeded Lakers a 3–1 first-round lead. Phoenix restored its pace, survived Game 6 in overtime and completed the comeback with a Game 7 rout.
2007
Phoenix confirms the gap
The Suns eliminated Los Angeles again, this time in five games. Nash’s established system had too many answers for a Lakers roster still searching for a second star.
2008–09
The Lakers rebuild around contention
The Pau Gasol trade gave Bryant a skilled interior partner and transformed Los Angeles. Two Finals trips and the 2009 championship meant the next Phoenix meeting would happen on different terms.
2010
Artest catches the miss
Phoenix’s zone challenged the defending champions and Game 5 was tied in the final seconds. Ron Artest collected Bryant’s air ball for the winning layup; Los Angeles then closed the series in Phoenix.
Afterward
One team reaches the summit again
Los Angeles beat Boston for a second straight title. Phoenix’s run ended as the final deep playoff appearance of the Nash era, giving the rivalry a bittersweet endpoint.