The Phoenix Suns have won a sovereign victory at the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James was unstoppable, but the superstar had no help whatsoever. Phoenix won safely 108-88.
Los Angeles Lakers (16-16) – Phoenix Suns (25-5) 88:108 (BOXSCORE)
LeBron James (34, 7 rebounds) scored the most points of any player on the field, but the Lakers’ supporting cast was underground. While James scored from the field on 13/19, the rest only sank a measly 30.8 percent. The final quarter was emblematic when only LeBron posted three field goals while no other Laker brought the ball through the trap until garbage time.
Without Russell Westbrook (22, 10/20, 10 rebounds, 7 turnover) it would have looked even darker, especially Talen Horton-Tucker (3, 1/13 FG, 0/8 threesome) and Isaiah Thomas (3, 1/11 FG , 0/6 threesome) hit absolutely nothing. The only bright spot was Trevor Ariza (12, 4/4), who has not missed a throw in his two missions so far.
The picture with the Suns is completely different. Nine players had a double-digit point yield, especially Devin Booker (24, 6/11 threesomes, 9 rebounds, 7 assists), who had the hot hand. Chris Paul had 11 counters and 9 assists, the two bigs Deandre Ayton (19, 9/11, 11 boards) and JaVale McGee (10 and 10) wrote double doubles.
At the Lakers, Horton-Tucker and Dwight Howard (DNP) returned from the Corona protocol and initially the hosts were able to balance the game. James kept pulling towards the basket, which was necessary because LA hardly hit anything from a distance.
LeBron James against Phoenix alone in a wide hallway
That changed with the inclusion of Ariza, the forward netted all of his three triples in his second game of the season in half-time, thus relieving the pressure. Phoenix, on the other hand, kept looking for Ayton and Booker was also accurate. Otherwise, the Suns awarded rows of open throws (3/22 threes in HZ one) – and yet the guests took a 54:52 lead into the break.
After the change it got better, the first four throws were safe, Phoenix opened with an 11-2 run and three booker triples. The Lakers found their way back into the game through a few Westbrook drives. This good phase was interrupted by Carmelo Anthony’s ejectionwho got upset about a missing whistle and picked up his second T.
The flow of the game was now gone again, the Lakers temporarily played a lineup of Rajon Rondo, Westbrook, Thomas, THT and Ariza – with little success. Phoenix managed the double-digit leadership with almost no problems – without shining too much. Almost nothing was going on with the Lakers, it was almost symbolic, how at the beginning of the fourth quarter nobody wanted to throw a Laker and THT produced a nasty airball from the corner with the clock running out.
Only James resisted, but the almost 37-year-old also needed a short break (a good 2:30 minutes) and Phoenix used this to an 8-0 run, which Paul orchestrated and set it to 100: 80. A short time later, however, Lakers substitute coach David Fizdale also hoisted the white flag.
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