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LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Shaquille O'Neal scored 40 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers recorded their 12th straight home win and fifth in a row overall, 109-101 over the Phoenix Suns. The Suns scored eight straight points to get within 104-101 with 41 seconds left as Cliff Robinson buried a 3-pointer and Todd Day's shot from beyond the arc closed the run. Brian Shaw missed a 3-pointer on the Lakers' next possession, but Kobe Bryant grabbed the offensive rebound and buried two free throws with 16 seconds left as Los Angeles remained six games ahead of Portland for the league's best mark. "I thought Phoenix played a spirited fourth quarter," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "They gave us a run and put us in jeopardy with their 3-point shooting and their penetration." O'Neal shot 15-of-29 from the floor and 10-of-13 from the line and has scored at least 40 points in four of his last seven contests. Bryant chipped in 28 points and Shaw had 11 to help the Lakers shoot 48 percent (40-of-83) from the field. "Now that I'm making (free throws), I don't get to the line like I'm supposed too because the league doesn't want me to average 50," O'Neal said. "So long as I hit the ones I'm supposed to hit in the fourth quarter, later in the game, then all will be OK." "This is our home court," Bryant said. "We don't want people to beat us at home, especially a team that you might be facing in the playoffs. You don't want to give them any confidence." Penny Hardaway poured in 25 points and Robinson netted 22 as the Suns had their five-game winning streak snapped and have lost all three meetings with the Lakers this season. Rodney Rogers poured in 16 points with Shawn Marion adding 15 and 14 rebounds for Phoenix, which shot 52 percent (22-of-42) in the second half and 5-of-9 from 3-point range. "It was a great effort. I'm proud of the way the guys played," Suns coach Scott Skiles said. "Every time we got the game close, it seemed like something just didn't go our way and we just couldn't get over the hump." Los Angeles never trailed and outscored Phoenix, 56-42, in the paint. The Lakers have won 15 of the last 18 games in the series and own a 69-18 all-time mark at home against the Suns. Kevin Johnson, who was coaxed out of retirement Thursday after Jason Kidd suffered a broken left ankle, did not make the trip for Phoenix. A three-time All-Star, Johnson has not played since the 1997-98 season but will make his return Sunday against Golden State. "It's very encouraging and we're not going to have our heads down," Hardaway said. "We're not going to feel sorry for ourselves because of the loss and we're not going to get too high when we win." Bryant scored 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first half and O'Neal added 15 as Los Angeles opened a 51-45 lead. Hardaway netted 12 points and Robinson had 10 for Phoenix. The Lakers opened a 65-53 lead with 7:22 left in the third quarter following a 10-2 spurt. Bryant and O'Neal each hit a pair of baskets and A.C. Green capped the burst with two free throws. O'Neal scored 10 points in the period as Los Angeles opened a 79-71 cushion.
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