Halftime: Suns 66, Lakers 56

PHOENIX — Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol got off in the first half for the Lakers, but Shaquille O’Neal, Grant Hill and Leandro Barbosa did the same for the Phoenix Suns this afternoon at the US Airways Center. Bryant had 19 points on 8-for-17 shooting and Gasol had 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting. O’Neal was a monster down low, scoring 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting. Hill and Barbosa had 13 apiece for the Suns, who were without Steve Nash (sprained right ankle). The Lakers’ backups continued their struggles, scoring only eight points in the first half. Jordan Farmar wasn’t pleased to be replaced after going scoreless in seven minutes, barking at Lakers coach Phil Jackson as he walked to his seat on the bench. The Lakers need more from the Bench Mob than they’ve been getting recently.