Brooks And Booker Lead Suns In Dominant Win Over Lakers, 132-108
Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker both topped 20 points as the Phoenix Suns cruised to an easy home win over the Los Angeles Lakers, 132-108, on Tuesday. The Lakers were without their leading scorer, point guard Luka Donฤiฤ, who is out with a lower leg contusion. L.A. lost for the second straight game, while Phoenix has now won two out of three.
Mammoth Third Quarter for Suns
The Suns went into halftime with a ten-point lead over the Lakers, but they came out on fire in the third quarter. Phoenix scored 45 points in the frame on 16-of 22 shooting (73%) to break the game wide open. Brooks had 12 of his 25 points in the quarter. The Suns finished the quarter up 112-86 and were able to coast the rest of the way.
Phoenix shot 57% from the field, led by Brooks‘ 25 points. Booker added 21 points and 11 assists, and center Mark Williams pitched in 18 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. The Suns forced 17 Laker turnovers.
Lebron Leads Lakers
With Donฤiฤ out and Austin Reaves playing just 21 minutes off the bench in his first game back from a left calf strain, 40-year-old Lebron James led L.A. with 23 points and six assists in 25 minutes. Reeves scored 17 points in his return. Marcus Smart had 14 points and six assists, and Deandre Ayton added 12 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals. The Lakers trailed by just three after the first quarter, but they could not stop the Suns’ offense in the second and third, allowing Phoenix to drop a combined 83 points. L.A. emptied their bench in the fourth.
The Lakers were also playing with Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent, who are both still nursing injuries. Things got worse for the L.A. as backup center Jaxson Hayes left in the first half of Tuesday’s game with an apparent ankle injury. He had two points and one rebound in just five minutes and did not return.
What’s Coming Up Next?
Los Angeles (19-9) is off on Wednesday before hosting the Houston Rockets (17-10) at 7 p.m. on Christmas night. The Lakers are hoping to have Donฤiฤ back for that game. The Suns (16-13) are off until Friday, when they travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans (8-23) on back-to-back nights.
