Consider that a headline from the Nostalgia Department. Back in the day, the Phoenix Suns were a lock to win the Pacific Division but with the Los Angeles Lakers securing that honor for this season we can only look back on those glory years with longing eyes.
For the record, the Suns have won the Pacific Division six times since 1968 (including 2005, 06, and 07) while the Lakers have 21 Division Titles since 1960. Unfortunately, that makes it a one-sided rivalry which is brings us to tonight's TNT game, a microcosm of the two team's relationship.
The Lakers are 12-1 since the All-Star break. They've woken up from their mid-season slumber and are back to dominating teams with the best roster money can buy (league-high $90.3 million salary). The Suns, scrambling for the their playoff lives, are 8-6 since the break and have fallen to the tenth seed in the West.
Phoenix fans might hope that their divisional big brother could be vulnerable tonight due to the suspension of Andrew Bynum, but the Lakers were able to beat the Portland Trail Blazers on the road without their big guy. It's not that Phoenix has no chance of winning, but it's going to take a Herculean effort to make that happen.
The game tips at 7:30 p.m. local time on TNT and will be broadcast on Sports 620 radio. Fans can follow along during the game with other Suns fans at the live game thread at Bright Side of the Sun.