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LOS ANGELES -- The Lakers have been giving playoff-contending teams more trouble over the past week than clubs that are way out of contention -- like themselves. Chris Kaman had a season-high 28 points along with 17 rebounds while starting at centre for the vertigo-stricken Pau Gasol, Jodie Meeks scored 22 points, and Los Angeles snapped the Phoenix Suns six-game winning streak with a 115-99 victory Sunday night. It came just five days after the Lakers put a crimp in the New York Knicks post-season plans with a 31-point drubbing at Staples Center. In between that game and this one were a pair of road losses to the league-worst Milwaukee Bucks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who beat the Lakers by 36 points Friday night. "Were trying to be the player-haters of the year. Thats definitely what were trying to do, and we embrace it," said point guard Kendall Marshall, who had 13 points and 11 assists. "We want to keep teams out of the playoffs and mess up seedings. Thats our motivation right now. Any type of motivation we can get to grow as a team is good for us right now." The undermanned Lakers shot 53 per cent from the field, avoiding what would have been Phoenixs first season sweep over them since 2004-05. The Suns won the first three meetings by an average margin of 13.3 points, including a 117-90 rout on Dec. 23 at US Airways Center. This was the first meeting between the teams in 2 1/2 months. "I dont know if we had a single guy who came with the energy that they usually have," coach Jeff Hornacek said. "Weve had games like this before, where they think theyre just going to show up and win a game. Were not good enough to do that. These guys have been winning games lately because theyve been focused in, but tonight they just werent." The 25-48 Lakers beat a team with a winning record for only the eighth time all season. Gasol missed his fourth straight game because of his ailment, joining Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Xavier Henry and Jordan Farmar on the inactive list. Gerald Green scored 22 points off the bench and Goran Dragic added 17 for the Suns, who missed their first 11 shots from 3-point range and finished 8-for-36 from behind the arc against a defence that came in having allowed an average of 119.1 in their previous 16 games and 108.9 overall -- second-worst in the league behind Philadelphia. The Suns shot 38.5 per cent overall. "Theyre not shooting them to miss them," an agitated Hornacek said. "They all thought they were going to make them, and its not always going to be there. So at that point, quit shooting them and drive to the basket." The Suns first loss since March 17 at Brooklyn dropped them to 44-30 and put them into a tie with idle Dallas for seventh place in the Western Conference standings, a half-game ahead of Memphis. "Our schedule gets a lot harder after this," Hornacek said. "Play all the top teams now in the next six or seven games, so thats why this game was so important. I mean, if this happens against Oklahoma City or the Clippers, then fine. But this team is not a playoff team, so thats why its disappointing." Kaman, an 11-year veteran in his first season with the Lakers, secured his sixth double-double of the season before halftime with 18 points and 10 rebounds to help Los Angeles build a 61-43 lead at intermission. "Chris can do that. He has talent, and he came ready to play," coach Mike DAntoni said. Dragic, who came in with a team-best 20.6 scoring average, got seven of the Suns first 13 points -- but didnt get another until his driving layup with 8:39 left in the third quarter trimmed the Lakers lead to 70-48. The Suns, who came in fifth in the league in 3-point shooting at 37.7 per cent, didnt get their first one until Markieff Morris ended their drought with 8:45 left in the second quarter. His brother Marcus drained another one 34 seconds later and Green made a three-point play with 7:41 left in the half, tying it at 31 after Suns trailed by 13. But the Lakers responded with a 28-9 run that included nine points by Meeks, and Ryan Kelly capped the rally with a pair of free throws to give Los Angeles a 59-40 cushion with 1:06 left in the third. The Suns got no closer than 11 points with 3:43 to play. "They made a few runs and killed us. We didnt know how to stop them," Dragic said. "I think our intensity was really bad. Its like no one wants to play in the playoffs -- or at least it seems like that. " NOTES: The longest winning streak in Suns history was 17 games in 2006-07, under DAntoni. ... Kaman received a technical foul from referee Derrick Stafford after getting called for an offensive foul with the Lakers leading 80-55. ... The last time the Lakers hosted Phoenix on Dec. 10, they lost 114-108. That game was one of only six that Bryant has played in this season. ... The Suns are only 16-19 when Dragic is their high-point man. The rest of the time, they are 28-10. Cheap Hawks Jerseys Authentic . Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Raptors have traded forward Steve Novak along with a second-round pick to the Utah Jazz in exchange for guard Diante Garrett - who will then be waived. Cheap Spud Webb Jersey . The Packers, Lions and Bears were a combined 35-15 and as long as Jay Cutler can say healthy, all three could make the playoffs in 2012. http://www.cheaphawksjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-trae-young-jersey .Y. -- Nothing seems to phase No. Cheap Hawks Jerseys . He still wanted out. "It just seemed like the direction they were going didnt fit what I thought my career was going to be," Kesler said. "At the end of the day I want to win a championship and I want to win it now, and four years is a little too long for me. Cheap DeAndre Bembry Jersey . Cellino was ordered by a judge to pay a 600,000 euro ($800,000) fine for evading import taxes on a yacht he purchased in the United States and brought to Italy, the ANSA news agency reported.WINNIPEG -- Teenager Kadeisha Buchanan was a star on both sides of the ball Thursday night as Canada tied the No. 1-ranked U.S. womens soccer team 1-1, thanks to her first goal as a member of the Canadian national team. "The future is bright," said teammate Desiree Scott. "Kadeisha Buchanan, 18-year-old, going toe-to-toe with some of the best strikers in the world and she scores a goal tonight. Unbelievable performance." Buchanan said it was a great experience to score but her work on defence was also key to keeping the Americans in check. "Defence wins games and we tried," she said of the physical way she challenged and often beat U.S. strikers such as veteran Abby Wambach as they rushed the Canadian goal. "Thats part of my element." Coach John Herdman said Canadas young back line did a great job and Buchanan has what it takes to be the best in the world at her position. "Shes the (Christine) Sinclair of defenders, shes that good" he said, referring to Canadas top forward. Buchanan scored her goal with a header off a corner kick just before the 35-minute mark of the friendly, and for 40 minutes it looked like Canada might finally beat a team they last defeated in 2001. The 18-year-old Toronto native only made her debut with the national team in January 2013 but has seen 12 starts with Lauren Sesselmann out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Herdman said it was disappointing to come so close and not get the win but he liked what he saw of the Canadian teams development as they prepare for the 2015 Womens World Cup. American striker Sydney Leroux, who was born in Surrey, B.C., tied the game just before the 78-minute mark when she kicked Canadian defender Rebecca Quinns crossing header into the corner past goalkeeper Erin McLeod. It was the third consecutive game against Canada in which shes scored a goal. "She loves big momments and shes come through and shes been fantastic," said interim U.ddddddddddddS. coach Jill Ellis. McLeod had to make one big save early in the game off Heather OReilly and another in the second half off a header by Wambach. Then the Canadian team had to block a free kick just past the 84-minute mark that could have put the Americans in the lead. American keeper Hope Solo had her bid to tie the U.S. shutout record foiled by Buchanan. The day before the game, Herdman said the crowd could play a role. "Were not going to have 700 shots and 700 crosses, so the fans have got to be ready to really get behind us when we need (them)," he said. The crowd of 28,255 didnt disappoint. The game was also blessed with cool but dry weather, after a forecast that threatened rain, and it was the second largest crowd ever to watch a womens friendly in Canada. "You could feel the energy," said Herdman, who suggested it was a taste of what Canada will offer when it hosts the Womens World Cup next summer. Solo, who also played for the U.S. in the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, is just one away from tying Briana Scurry for the most shutouts in the American programs history at 70. Melissa Tancredi, who rejoined the Canadian team for the first time since she returned to school a couple of years ago to finish her chiropractic studies, got some playing time late in the second half. The Winnipeg-born Scott said she was thrilled to play for the first time in front of friends and family as a member of the national team. This is her sixth year on Canadas squad. "It was exhilarating and exciting for me and it definitely drove me to give a great performance tonight," she said. Buchanan, meanwhile, is also a member of Canadas under-20 World Cup team. The under-20 World Cup starts Aug. 5 with games set to take place in Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal and Moncton. ' ' '