Brownie Points: Shaq’s Suns debut vs. Lakers turned out to be a television ratings bonanza across U.S.

Wednesday's Suns-Lakers epic wasn't just must-see TV in Phoenix and Los Angeles. The latest installment of "Shaq vs. Kobe" reeled in boffo ratings both locally and nationally.

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Wednesday's game was the third most-viewed NBA regular-season game in ESPN history and the highest in more than three years. The game pulled a 2.9 national rating, averaging 2,813,000 households and 3,616,000 viewers.

That's the most people to watch the NBA on ESPN since Christmas Day of 2004, when 4,325,000 viewers tuned in for the Indiana-Detroit game - the Pacers' first trip back to Detroit after Ron Artest's infamous charge into the stands to fight with fans about a month earlier.

The only other game to draw more fans was a Jan. 17, 2003, game between Houston and Shaquille O'Neal's Lakers that was watched by a record 4,882,000 viewers.

Locally on Fox Sports Net Arizona, the game drew an all-time Suns-high 8.8 rating and a 12 share, with an average of 156,628 households tuning in. That blows away the previous high of 7.9 (by more than 11 percent) for a Jan.11, 2005, game between the Suns and Shaq's Miami Heat.

The combined audiences of FSN Arizona and ESPN (15.6 rating) easily outdistanced "American Idol" (12.9) as the highest-rated TV program Wednesday in the Valley.

I'm not sure Simon Cowell would approve.

DOUBTING THOMAS

Seeing how expiring contracts (Kwame Brown, Tyronn Lue) and even retired guys (Aaron McKie, Keith Van Horn) have been key in deals getting done in the West at the trade deadline, you have to wonder how much better the Suns would have fared had they hung on to Kurt Thomas and his $8 million expiring deal.

Owner Robert Sarver stepped up to the plate to make the move for O'Neal and has spent more than $300 million on player contracts since buying the team. But in their haste to avoid the luxury tax, the Suns blinked during the offseason by sacrificing two first-round picks for a guy who either would have been (a) effective as a player or (b) as Seattle proved Wednesday, a valuable bargaining chip at the deadline.

The Sonics flipped Thomas to San Antonio for another first-round pick on Wednesday.

In three years, the cover of their media guide will feature Kevin Durant and "all the guys we got from our Kurt trades."

It's interesting that Thomas is a huge Cowboys fan, because he's suddenly turned into the NBA's version of Herschel Walker.

BONUS SHOTS

How ironic is it that the Lakers likely never would have made the move to get Pau Gasol if Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza hadn't gone down with injuries? What initially looked like a plus for the Suns may turn out to be what ultimately destroys them.

Why were Philadelphia fans chanting "Fire Isiah" at the end of Wednesday's 40-point blowout win over the Knicks? If anyone with a clue was running/coaching the Knicks, they wouldn't be looking up at Charlotte and the Sixers would be on the outside looking in at the playoffs - even in the awful East.

Hard to believe no one rolled the dice on bringing in Ron Artest for the playoff run. After all, he's worked out so well at all his previous stops.

After New Orleans picked up Bonzi Wells and Mike James from Houston Wednesday, the most perfect starting lineup in the NBA suddenly has a decent bench behind it. Outside of playoff experience, it's hard to find a weakness, and Chris Paul is the best player in the league this year east of Kobe Bryant.

Just in case you were wondering, Barry Bonds' agent says the home run king is healthy, ready to go and waiting for the phone to ring. And waiting ... and waiting ...

O'Neal reminded the media after his first game with the Suns that "Rome wasn't built in a day." But Shaq should be reminded to be careful with that analogy - since it only took a day to torch the place.