The Lakers came close to overcoming their early struggles but ultimately fell short against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, losing 123-113 at Footprint Center. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and D'Angelo Russell all had strong performances, but the Suns' timely shotmaking proved to be the difference.
The Lakers dug themselves into a hole with turnovers and poor rebounding in the first quarter, allowing the Suns to build a significant lead. Despite improving in the middle two quarters, the Lakers couldn't close the gap in the fourth as the Suns' role players stepped up with clutch shots.
Royce O'Neale and Grayson Allen hit back-to-back threes late in the game to extend the Suns' lead, ultimately sealing the victory. Jusuf Nurkic had a big game for the Suns, while Devin Booker also contributed with key plays down the stretch.
The loss dropped the Lakers to 1-2 since the All-Star break and moved the Suns 3.5 games ahead of them in the standings. It was a missed opportunity for the Lakers to gain ground in the playoff race.
