BEIJING, April 25 -- Even with a poor shooting afternoon from Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers still nearly stole their playoff opener against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

    Tim Thomas had 22 points and a career playoff-high 15 rebounds, and the Suns escaped with a 107-102 victory.

    Thomas, sent home by the Chicago Bulls for what they thought was a bad attitude for most of this season, then released and signed by Phoenix on March 3, made his first eight shots and finished 8-for-10, 4-for-5 from 3-point range.

    Steve Nash had 20 points, including a crucial 3-pointer with 1:07 to play, and 10 assists. The Suns made 32-of-35 free throws, 8-for-8 by Nash. Shawn Marion added 19 points, Boris Diaw 15 and Leandro Barbosa 15, nine in the fourth quarter.

    Bryant, the NBA scoring champion with 35.4 points per game, scored 22 points - barely half the 42.5 he averaged against Phoenix in the regular season - on 7-for-21 shooting, 1-of-6 3s. But Lamar Odom had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Luke Walton matched his career best in any NBA game with 19 points.

    Other results Sunday (home team in CAPS):

    DETROIT 92, Milwaukee 74; Indiana 90, NEW JERSEY 88; DALLAS 103, Memphis 93.

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)