LOS ANGELES,  (Reuters) – Ron Artest sank the  game-winning basket as time expired to lift the Los Angeles  Lakers to a 103-101 win over the Phoenix Suns in Game Five of  the Western Conference finals on Thursday.

With the game tied 101-101 in the closing seconds, Kobe  Bryant came up short on a long jump shot but Artest slipped in  for the rebound and scored to seal the victory and give the  Lakers a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“I’m just happy he made the play,” Bryant told reporters.  “I knew (Phoenix) would have two guys running at me and Ron was  able to sneak in there.”

Bryant delivered 30 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in  the game as the Lakers squandered an 18-point lead in the  second half before sealing victory.

Jason Richardson banked in a game-tying three-pointer with  3.5 seconds left for the Suns, who got 29 points and 11 assists  from Steve Nash.

After winning two in a row at home to tie the series,  Phoenix looked like they might get blown away by the Lakers but  fought back from 17 points down in the second quarter and then  rallied from 74-56 with 3:44 remaining in the third.

Nash led the Suns revival with nine points in a  three-minute stretch, and Richardson tied the game on a  possession where Phoenix had three attempts at a three-pointer.

However, last season’s NBA champions showed their mettle in  the final seconds.

Derek Fisher finished with 22 points and Pau Gasol added 21  while Artest had made just 1-of-8 shots prior to his  game-winner.

Artest has struggled to fit in with the Los Angeles offense  after signing in the offseason as a free agent. His  game-winning basket made up for a poor shooting night and an  ill-advised three-point attempt in the last minute when the  home team should have been running down the clock.

“There was a point in time where I shot 40 percent from  three so I just have to play — I’ve hit shots before,” Artest  said. “You never know when that big game is going to come.”

Game Six is today in Phoenix and the Lakers will  attempt to clinch the series and reach their third successive  NBA Finals.