Two Games Lead by Los Angeles Lakers Against Phoenix Suns in the Best-of-seven Western Conference Finals

The Los Angeles Lakers held Steve Nash in check for the second straight game, and even a breakout offensive effort by Grant Hill couldn't save the Phoenix Suns.

They lost 124-112 on Wednesday night and trail 2-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals. It's the first time Phoenix has lost consecutive games since Jan. 25-26.

After getting blown out in Game 1, the Suns went to a smaller lineup and brought themselves back in the third quarter, when they tied the game at 90-all.

Hill was a major catalyst, hitting 6 of 7 shots from the field in a vintage performance that recalled his early years in the NBA. He finished with 23 points in the first conference finals of his career.

Jason Richardson led Phoenix with 27 points. Nash, from Victoria, had 11 points and 15 assists. Amare Stoudemire added 18 points, and he and Nash both had five of the Suns' 17 turnovers.

Despite tying it three times in the third, the Suns could never take the lead. They closed within two early in the fourth before the Lakers pulled away for good.

Hill's offence benefited from a defensive switch in the third, when he went from guarding Kobe Bryant to Lamar Odom. The move opened up Hill's offence, with him scoring nine in a row before Nash hit the tying basket going into the fourth.

After an 11-0 run early in the second got them within three, the Suns couldn't get defensive stops and found themselves merely trading baskets with the Lakers for a stretch. They trailed 65-56 at halftime.

Phoenix fell to 8-23 all-time in playoff games in Los Angeles. They head home for Game 3 knowing they had losing road records against first-round opponent Portland and second-round opponent San Antonio, but won both those series to advance to the conference finals.