There are only three words to describe how the game between the Lakers vs. Suns went.
Short and sweet.
After an exciting win over the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles headed off to Phoenix to take on the best team in the NBA. The Suns already won the first two games against their division rivals and were looking for their third straight.
It was a disaster from the start. After taking a 6-2 lead to start the game, the Lakers started to collapse. Phoenix went on a run and proceeded to outscore Los Angeles 48-22 in the first quarter. The rest was history, as the Suns continued to dominate them all game long and win 140-111.
Statistically, the Suns were better than the Lakers in most of the categories. They shot 57% from the floor, while the Lakers were 44% shooting. Phoenix also outrebounded Los Angeles by 14 and forced 19 turnovers.
Despite not having Chris Paul, Devin Booker continues to shine. He finished with 31 points, 10 assists, and added four steals to his stat line. Deandre Ayton only played 27 minutes but contributed 23 points and 16 rebounds for his team.
LeBron James finished with 30 points, seven rebounds, and six assists for the Purple & Gold. Carmelo Anthony continues to provide a spark off the bench with 18 points of his own.
The Lakers will be on short rest as they face off against the Raptors on Monday. But, the loss dropped them to 29-38 on the year.
My Thoughts
I’ll keep my thoughts, just like the game, short and sweet.
Frank Vogel is known to be a defensive-minded coach, but the Lakers allowed 48 points in the first quarter. Ironic.
Russell Westbrook continues to brick jump shots. Just drive to the hoop, Russ. It’s what’s you’re good at and you’re costing your team precious possessions every game.
get Russell Westbrick off the Lakers NOW pic.twitter.com/qKofqn3BoW
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) March 14, 2022
We shouldn’t be surprised about the way this team played. For every exciting win they provide us fans with, they give us a dud performance like this one.
However, there was one bright spot for the Lakers.
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 14, 2022
With this assist to Carmelo Anthony, LeBron became the first player in NBA history to have at least 30,000 points, 10,000 assists, and 10,000 rebounds. Despite the tough season, he continues to make history and solidify himself in NBA history books.
At this point, continuing to play young guys like Austin Reaves is only beneficial. Let’s see how they continue to perform in what looks like a lost season for the Purple & Gold.
The small ball experiment with LeBron at center needs to stop. It’s a big reason why Ayton was able to dominate on the boards. Start Dwight Howard.
Phoenix scored a season-high 140 points last night. Props to the best team in the NBA for showing how good they are despite injuries to some key pieces. When fully healthy, expect them to make a return to the NBA Finals this year.
If you’re the Lakers, just erase this one out of your mind and move on to the next. LeBron may need to drop 50 points again against the Raptors if they want to win.
Oh, and Tom Brady unretired.
The Lakers are 0-7 since the All-Star break when LeBron doesn’t score 50. pic.twitter.com/aqMNcV91UI
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 14, 2022
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