Twenty-four feet. That was the distance. Kobe Bryant, draped by Grant Hill—one of the few defenders in league history with the IQ and length to actually bother him—fades toward the Suns' bench. He’s off-balance. He’s tired. The air in Phoenix is thick with the desperation of a Suns team that finally thought they had the Lakers figured out. Kobe lets it fly. Splash. He taps Suns coach Alvin Gentry on the backside as he runs back on defense. It was over.
The 2010 Western Conference Finals wasn't just a playoff series; it was a collision of two different basketball philosophies that still sparks debates in sports bars from Scottsdale to Santa Monica. On one side, you had the "Seven Seconds or Less" DNA of the Phoenix Suns, albeit a slightly more mature version under Gentry. On the other, the grit and Triangle Offense precision of Phil Jackson’s Los Angeles Lakers. Most people remember the 2010 Finals against Boston because of the historical rivalry, but if you ask any die-hard Lakers fan, they’ll tell you the Phoenix series was where the real magic happened.
The Airball That Changed Everything
You can't talk about this series without talking about Game 5. It’s the pivot point. The series was tied 2-2. Momentum had shifted entirely to Phoenix after they protected their home court. The Lakers looked slow. Ron Artest—before he was Metta World Peace—was struggling to find his rhythm.
With the clock winding down and the score tied at 101, Kobe took a shot that, honestly, was pretty terrible. It was a contested, forced airball. But in the chaos of the postseason, luck favors the relentless. Artest, who had been criticized all game for his shot selection, sneaked past Jason Richardson, grabbed the airball out of the sky, and put it back in at the buzzer.
The Staples Center erupted. It’s one of those moments that makes you realize how thin the margin is between a championship run and a "what if" season. If Artest doesn't grab that ball, Phoenix goes back home up 3-2 with all the confidence in the world. Steve Nash was playing some of the most inspired basketball of his career, even with a broken nose and a closing championship window. He deserved better, but the Lakers had that weird, intangible "Lakers luck" that year.
Why This Version of the Suns Was Actually Dangerous
People forget how good this Phoenix team was. They weren't just a fast-break gimmick anymore. Amar'e Stoudemire was a monster in the paint, averaging 25 points a game during that stretch. He was finishing everything.
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What really gave the Lakers fits was the Suns' zone defense. Phil Jackson hated it. It’s a bit of a coaching nuance, but the Suns used a matchup zone that dared the Lakers to shoot from the perimeter. For a couple of games in Phoenix, it worked perfectly. The Lakers’ size advantage—Gasol, Bynum, and Odom—was neutralized because the zone kept them out of the low block.
- Steve Nash was averaging double-digit assists while shooting nearly 50/40/90.
- Jason Richardson was playing the best basketball of his life before that Game 5 defensive lapse.
- Goran Dragic had just come off a legendary performance against the Spurs in the previous round, giving the Suns a bench spark they never had in the mid-2000s.
It was a clash of styles. The Lakers wanted to grind you into dust with their length. The Suns wanted to turn the game into a track meet. Most experts at the time thought the Lakers would sweep. When the Suns fought back to 2-2, the narrative shifted. Suddenly, the Lakers looked old.
Kobe’s Statistical Masterclass
The numbers Kobe put up in the 2010 Western Conference Finals are bordering on fictional. We’re talking about 33.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game. He shot 52% from the field. Read that again. For a high-volume guard taking some of the most difficult shots imaginable, 52% is absurd.
He had 11 assists in Game 1. Then 13 assists in Game 2. He was picking the Suns apart like a surgeon. When they doubled him, he found Pau Gasol. When they played him straight up, he hit those demoralizing turnarounds over Grant Hill and Jared Dudley.
There’s a specific kind of frustration that comes with defending 2010 Kobe. You do everything right. You stay on his hip. You contest the shot. You don't foul. And he still makes it. By Game 6, the Suns' body language told the whole story. They were exhausted. Kobe was in that "Flow State" where the rim looks like the size of a hula hoop. He scored 37 in the clincher, including a series of daggers in the final two minutes that essentially retired that era of Suns basketball.
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The Grant Hill Factor
Grant Hill is one of the great "what-ifs" in NBA history due to his injuries, but in 2010, he was a defensive specialist who took the Kobe assignment personally. He didn't use trash talk. He used footwork.
Watching the film now, you see how much respect Kobe had for Hill. He didn't try to blow past him every time; he manipulated Hill's gravity. He used ball fakes and shoulder shimmies to create just an inch of space. It was the highest level of basketball IQ on display from both men. Hill later admitted that he felt he played "perfect" defense on several of those late-game shots in Game 6, and it just didn't matter. That’s the definition of a legend at his peak.
Misconceptions About the Series
A lot of people think the Lakers won just because they were bigger. That’s a lazy take. While Pau Gasol was incredible—averaging a double-double and providing the interior passing that made the Triangle work—the Lakers actually struggled with the Suns' bench.
The Suns' second unit, led by Dragic and Leandro Barbosa, outplayed the Lakers' bench for long stretches. The difference wasn't just size; it was the Lakers' ability to execute in the "clutch" (the final five minutes of a game within five points). In close games, the Lakers had a 122.3 offensive rating during that postseason. They simply didn't panic.
Another misconception? That Steve Nash was "past his prime." Nash was 36, but he was still the best floor general in the league. He dragged that Suns team through a brutal Western Conference. If you watch the highlights of his pick-and-roll density in Game 4, it’s a masterclass. He was carving the Lakers open. The problem was, he didn't have a Kobe Bryant to close the door.
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Key Takeaways from the 2010 Matchup
- The Zone Defense Experiment: Phoenix proved that a well-executed zone could stifle a Phil Jackson offense, at least temporarily. This paved the way for how the Mavericks would eventually beat the Lakers in 2011.
- Pau Gasol’s Underrated Value: While Kobe got the headlines, Gasol’s 19 points and 12 rebounds per game were the foundation. He was the safety valve.
- The "Artest" Factor: This series cemented Ron Artest as a Lakers hero before he even hit the big shot in Game 7 of the Finals. His offensive rebounding in Game 5 saved the season.
- End of an Era: This was the last true "great" run for the Steve Nash-era Suns. After this, Amar'e left for New York, and the West changed forever.
How to Apply These Insights Today
If you're a basketball student or just a fan of high-stakes competition, the 2010 Western Conference Finals offers a few practical lessons.
First, look at the importance of "Role Clarity." Every Laker knew their job. Lamar Odom knew he was the Swiss Army knife. Derek Fisher knew he was the "big shot" stabilizer. When things got chaotic, they reverted to their roles rather than trying to do too much.
Second, study Kobe’s footwork in this series specifically. It’s better than his 2006 or 2008 tape because he wasn't relying on pure athleticism anymore. He was using angles. If you’re a young player, watch how he uses his pivot foot to freeze the defense. It’s a lost art in today’s "three-point or layup" era.
Lastly, appreciate the coaching battle. Alvin Gentry’s adjustment to use a zone was a brilliant move that nearly toppled a dynasty. It reminds us that even when you’re outmatched talent-wise, tactical flexibility can bridge the gap.
The Lakers went on to beat the Celtics in seven games to win the title, but the scars they earned against the Suns were what prepared them for that dogfight. You don't get the 16th banner without surviving the desert heat of May 2010.
To truly understand this era, go back and watch the full broadcast of Game 5. Ignore the box score. Watch the off-ball movement. Watch how the Lakers handled the Suns' frantic pace. It’s a snapshot of a time when the NBA was transitioning from the post-up era to the pace-and-space era, and for six glorious games, we got the best of both worlds.
Next Steps for Deep-Dive Fans:
- Watch the "Kobe Bryant: Muse" documentary for his personal perspective on his 2010 physical condition (he was playing with a broken finger and a drained knee).
- Contrast the Lakers' defensive rotations in this series against their 2009 championship run to see how much they missed Trevor Ariza’s speed versus Ron Artest’s strength.
- Track the shooting percentages of the Suns' bench to see how the "Phoenix Sun Factor" (the training staff’s ability to keep older players healthy) played a role in their deep run.