The Best Seat in the House

Tortillas and mild salsa dip...check. 2 liter bottle of soda...check. And last but not least, the remote...check. So it most likely sounds like one of two things are about to happen. Either a great movie is about to debut on cable tv, or the not so obvious Lakers vs. the Suns NBA game is a commercial away from gracing the television.

The Phoenix Suns sent an exhausted Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers to their sixth loss in seven games, 93-85 in the April 13th game. Phoenix’s Steve Nash had 26 points and 14 assists, while Bryant missed three shots in the final 35 seconds of the game, two of which were 3-pointers. His 17 points scored against Phoenix, were far short of his NBA-leading 31.5 point average.

You reach for the last chip and scoop up the salsa lingering around the edges of the jar while chalking the game up to a win of 89-85. But don’t be too sure. Nash seals the game with four free throws in the last 18 seconds.

Amare Stoudemire’s 15 points and 16 rebounds, helped keep the Suns two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs. The Suns have three games to play in the fight for the No.2 playoff spot in the Western Conference, while the Lakers try to steadily hold on to their No.7 spot.

If it wasn’t Raja Bell’s 18 points or Shawn Marion 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Suns, surely it was Nash's free throw following a technical foul on Lakers coach Phil Jackson with 3:59 left in the third quarter that made the tortilla bowl worthy of refills only during commercials.

Luke Walton led the Lakers with 19 points making a 3-pointer that set the score 72-63. Even with Lamar Odom’s previously added 16 points, it wasn’t enough to tip the score. Marion thought those 3 points were 3 points too many and scored on a rebound putting the Suns ahead 76-63 entering the fourth quarter.

The Suns led 51-50 at the half; the smallest lead the Lakers saw since the first shot of the game was made. Los Angeles continued to diminish the lead to five several times during the game. The last 5 point trail was 88-83 on Odom's layup with 1:58 left in the game. Neither team scored again until Stoudemire made one of two free throws putting Phoenix up 89-83 in the last 34 seconds, a major adjustment from missing all six of his shots in the first quarter.

On the Lakers' next possession, Bryant’s careless 3-point air-ball, did nothing to bring the team out of the slump when they needed it most. Nash's two free throws at 18 seconds put the Suns ahead 91-83. His last two with 12 seconds left on the clock, finished out the game.

So maybe the game wasn’t as exciting as it would have been from court side seats, but not everyone is lucky enough to experience every game front and center, boxed seats, or season tickets. But that night I certainly can say that the best seat in the house was taken. The nicely broken in sofa with the slightly sunken in center and the game broadcast via a 20 inch flat screen. You should have opted for the plasma while you had the chance. The snacks ran out just in time as the Suns marked their fourth win in a row while coincidently, the Lakers shook their heads sadly for their fourth defeat in a row.

By: Darrielle Williams