Suns Learn That Beating Lakers Doesn't Mean Stopping Kobe

Filed under: Lakers, Suns, NBA Playoffs PHOENIX -- Former NBA guard Ruben Patterson once dubbed himself the "Kobe Stopper.'' Many laughed about that boast, including Bryant, and Patterson was out of the league by age 32. Nobody can stop the Lakers guard with any degree of regularity, and the Phoenix Suns know that. But they have become more at peace with that as the Western Conference finals have moved along, and now fully realize they can beat the Lakers even when Bryant comes up very big. "We just weren't going to put all our effort on trying to stop Kobe,'' Suns coach Alvin Gentry said after practice Wednesday. "Nobody's done it in 14 years so it's ridiculous to think, 'OK, this is the way we'll stop him.' ... Stopping Kobe is not an option.''