PHOENIX — In an exciting matchup on Monday night, the Phoenix Suns triumphed over the Los Angeles Lakers with a narrow score of 109-105. Devin Booker led the charge for the Suns with an impressive 33 points, while Kevin Durant contributed 30 valuable points to help secure the victory.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Lakers had a solid lead at 83-76 but failed to maintain it, experiencing their first defeat of the season after a strong start with three consecutive wins. Durant played a crucial role in the closing minutes, hitting two consecutive jump shots that shifted the momentum and gave the Suns a 105-101 edge with just over two minutes remaining.
In response, LeBron James made a critical three-pointer at the 1:58 mark, reducing the Lakers’ deficit to just one point at 105-104. However, the Lakers were unable to reclaim the lead in the final moments of the game. James ended the night with 11 points, successfully extending his NBA-record streak of scoring at least 10 points in a game to 1,226.
The victory for the Suns was particularly impressive considering they had to overcome an early deficit of 18 points. This followed an earlier game where the Lakers defeated the Suns 123-116 after coming back from a massive 22-point gap.
Austin Reaves made an early impact for the Lakers, knocking down a three-pointer that propelled his team to a commanding 26-8 lead late in the first quarter. Despite that early advantage, the Suns managed to answer back, going into halftime with a 50-48 lead. Anthony Davis shone for the Lakers before the break, scoring 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting and finishing the game with 29 points overall.
In terms of key highlights, Lakers’ LeBron James experienced a challenging night, shooting only 3 of 14 from the field, while Davis continued to demonstrate his skill as the team’s main offensive contributor, going 12 for 24 and grabbing 15 rebounds. For the Suns, it was a tough outing for starting center Jusuf Nurkic, who managed only two points in his 15 minutes of play, especially disappointing following his standout performance of 18 points and 14 rebounds in a recent victory over the Mavericks.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Royce O’Neale of the Suns sank a vital 15-foot floater, pushing Phoenix ahead with a 107-104 lead with just 1:25 left on the clock. Throughout the match, the scoreboard frequently shifted, reflected in the six ties and 14 lead changes.
Looking ahead, the Lakers are set to visit the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, while the Suns will take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, promising more thrilling basketball action for fans to enjoy.