The Phoenix Suns (14-11) welcomed the Los Angeles Lakers (17-7) at Mortgage Matchup Center on Sunday.
Both teams had won only two out of their last five games, including losses in their previous games to top teams.
The Lakers sat fifth in the Western Conference, but were only one game behind second, while the Suns sat seventh, in a play-in spot, but were looking for a winning streak to possibly push them into sixth.
The two teams had already met earlier in the season, with the Suns defeating the Lakers 125-108.
“They’re going to put a lot of pressure on us.” Suns head coach Jordan Ott said regarding the Lakers. “They’re offensively gifted players and they’re so smart. Whatever cover you show them early, you’re probably going to have to adjust because they’re just that good, and we will. It’s going to be a challenge.”
The Lakers were without guard Austin Reaves (left calf strain), who had been averaging 27.8 points per game.
Even then, the Lakers had immense talent, including center DeAndre Ayton, a former Sun who averaged 8.8 rebounds per game, and forward LeBron James, a four-time MVP winner and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, who was averaging 16.5 PPG, 6 RPG and 7.6 assists per game at the age of 40.
“Size, ability to protect the paint,” Ott said regarding James. “Really good screener, which Luka (Doncic) thrives off of. They’re obviously a pick-and-roll heavy team which is a big piece of what he does. Defensively, he’s going to be at the rim.”
But even then, the Lakers looked to guard Luka Doncic, who was the third favorite to win MVP.
Doncic had been averaging an astonishing 35 PPG, 9 RPG, and 9 APG.
As for the Suns, they were still without Jalen Green (hamstring) but was expected to return soon.
“He continues to make progress,” Ott said regarding Green. “Everything’s been going in the right direction. Again, we’re going to play it pretty safe here; we got to be in a mindset that this is a young athlete that is super valuable. We’re going to take it day by day, week by week, but he’s made really good progress.”
However, the Suns were still holding their breath, as both star guard Devin Booker (groin) and Dillon Brooks (Achilles) were listed on Game-Time Decision.
“They’re going through their pre-game warmup,” Ott said before the game. “We’ll see where they’re at.”
Considering that both players were averaging 20+ PPG, with Booker leading the team in assists with 6.7 APG, this game could be shifted depending on whether the two would play.
“All seems well,” Ott said regarding Booker. “Increased his workload the last couple of days to exactly test it out, see where he is. Everything seems to be good, and he’s been through this process before. We really rely on him.”
While neither team had a lot of depth, the Lakers had the star power.
Depending on the Suns role players and how they played could determine the game if one or both players couldn’t play.
One of those role players was Collin Gillespie of the Suns, who had been averaging 13.1 PPG and had been getting noticed by opposing teams when coming off the bench.
“I think any young player- you’re kind of learning him as he goes along,” Ott said regarding Gillespie. “He’s learning himself. These reps in the NBA are unlike anything else he’s ever gone through. His growth in the offseason, just stronger, more bursts, and then just confidence overall.”
Fortunately for Phoenix, Brooks and Booker were both cleared to play against Los Angeles.
At the end of the first, Phoenix found themselves up by five.
Suns center Mark Williams had eight points, but off the bench, Royce O’Neale had nine points after drilling all his three-point shots, while Booker only had five points, and Brooks had no stat at all.
As for the Lakers, Doncic already had 10 points with three assists, but Ayton had dominated in the paint, with eight points and four rebounds.
Midway through the second quarter, O’Neale fouled Jarred Vanderbilt on a breakaway, and the referees went to look and see if it was a clear path foul.
Ultimately, the referees deemed it was a clear path foul, leading to two free throws for the Lakers.
Minutes later, James seemingly elbowed Brooks, and the referees huddled up again to look for a possible hostile act against James.
After the review, the referees deemed that James did not make enough body contact for a hostile act.
Entering the second half, the game was tied at 62-62.
Brooks and Booker had limited minutes, likely due to their GTD injury, but even then, Booker managed to put up 10 points alongside Williams.
“The days off in between will definitely help everyone,” Ott said regarding the team’s health. “This time of year, everyone’s trying to find some health and we’re starting to get there. That’s the exciting part, is to see us rally. Grayson was out before that, but we’ll find it.”
James had 15 points, while Ayton had 12, and Doncic led the way with 17 points.
The problem for the Lakers though was their bench, as only Jaxson Hayes and Vanderbilt were the only bench players with points for the Lakers, with four each.
“This second unit has been good for us,” Ott said regarding the bench. “Collin (Gillespie), Ryan (Dunn), Goody (Jordan Goodwin), most of them have been really good so we decided to stay with them tonight. I did think it helped us there in the first half.”
Early into the third quarter, James fouled Brooks, and words were said by James to Brooks and the referee, leading James to yell at Brooks and touch an official, as his teammates and the Lakers’ coaching staff tried to calm him down.
“He’s an ultra-competitor,” Booker said regarding Brooks. “He wants these moments; he wants these environments. Our whole team has the same mindset, but I feel like he’s more vocal about it so we’re having fun with it.”
The referees went to see if it was a hostile act by James.
The refs deemed a foul on Doncic prior to the James’ foul, but the refs deemed that James pushed Brooks enough to get a technical foul.
“There’s history there,” Booker said. “I love to see it. People always say everything’s too friendly in the NBA, and then Dillon comes around and now it’s too much. I’d rather have it be too much.”
This led to three free throws for the Suns. One by Booker, and two by Brooks.
Brooks later committed an intentional foul on James, as the two exchanged words.
With Brooks having five personal fouls though, he was subbed out.
“We love his emotion,” Ott said. “We’re with him. He’s brought so much for this city and this franchise. His energy, his hard work, his attitude every single day, we love him.”
Late in the third, the Lakers went on a 15-0 run, giving the Lakers a nine-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
“Just couldn’t put the ball in the hoop,” Booker said. “Feel like we were stuck on 77 points for a really long time. Ended up being down 19 points in the fourth, we start taking care of the other things, being aggressive, the first to the fight once the fourth quarter started.”
Doncic had 26 points entering the fourth for the Lakers, but Hayes and the bench made a huge difference, forcing tough shots for Phoenix, and hitting crucial shots, leading to that run.
As for the Suns, Booker had 17 points while Williams had 14 points, but the team only scored 15 points in the third quarter.
“Felt great,” Booker said. “Hard fought game and I just miss being out there, so it felt good to be a part of it.”
Early in the fourth, the Lakers jumped out to as far as a 20-point lead, looking to bury Phoenix.
Phoenix tried to mount a comeback, including an 11-3 run, and it worked, as with two minutes left; Phoenix found themselves down 111-104.
The Suns then cut it down to two after a Gillespie three, and the Lakers called timeout with 56.6 seconds left.
The Suns and Lakers traded baskets, and with the Lakers up 113-111, Marcus Smart of the Lakers drove inside for a layup, but it was blocked by Ryan Dunn.
With less than 20 seconds left, Booker went for a three and missed but got his own rebound and kicked it out to Brooks, who sunk it.
It was 114-113 Phoenix, but everything kicked off as Brooks went up to James and bumped his chest, leading to more words being exchanged and the benches clearing, alongside the refs reviewing if it was a hostile act.
“All year round to keep his body and mind right,” Ott said about Brooks. “To be out a couple days and then come right back.”
The referees ultimately deemed that Brooks made illegal contact as James went to the line.
Having already picked up a technical, Brooks was ejected.
“There’s a lot of emotion going on,” Ott said. “It’s never one play in the game that determines anything. There’s never one play to get to the emotion to that level. Obviously, we got to keep our emotions in check.”
Brooks finished the game with 18 points, one rebound, and zero assists.
James missed his free throw, but the Lakers had the ball and with three seconds left, James shot a three which he was fouled by Booker, leading to three free throws for James.
“I got to check the rulebook,” Booker said. “I’ve always been told that the hand is part of the ball. It’s over with now. I shouldn’t have been in the area to commit the foul but the possession before, LeBron did run through Dillon on his three too.”
The stadium exploded in anger, with jeers and boos, but Phoenix decided to challenge the call.
“They said part of the wrist is what Booker got specifically,” Ott said regarding the foul.
“I’m not sure I saw him on the wrist but again, putting ourselves in our situations wasn’t good enough, but that’s what happens.”
Unfortunately for the Suns, it was unsuccessful despite the controversial amount of contact.
James missed his first free-throw, but nailed the next two, and after a Gillespie personal foul after Allen missed his shot, the Lakers were able to hang on 116-114.
“It’s frustrating,” Booker said. “Still a lot of season left, we just got outworked. It can’t be an on and off switch for us. We have to be better from the start.”
Doncic finished with 29 points but only went 7-for-25 went shooting while going 13-for-14 from the free-throw line.
“You don’t want to foul him as much,” Booker said regarding Doncic. “He got a lot of free throws.”
Ayton finished with a double-double, with 20 points and 13 rebounds while James ended the game with 26 points.
Booker finished with 27 points, 13 of which came from the line.
“I shot a lot of free throws tonight,” Booker said.
Williams finished with 20 points and six rebounds.
The Suns drop to 14-12 while the Lakers go to 18-7.
The Suns will host the Golden State Warriors at Mortgage Matchup Center on Thursday night.
