Devin Booker, Suns dominate Lakers for 3-2 lead
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JUNE 01: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns reacts to a three-point shot against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half in Game Five of the Western Conference first-round playoff series at Phoenix Suns Arena on June 01, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Devin Booker recorded 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists to help the host Phoenix Suns steamroll the Los Angeles Lakers 115-85 on Tuesday night and take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference first-round series.
Cameron Payne added 16 points off the bench and the Suns led by as many as 36 points while notching their second consecutive win in the seven-game series.
LeBron James registered 24 points, seven assists and five rebounds for the Lakers, who played without Anthony Davis (groin).
30 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST for @DevinBook, helping the @Suns go up 3-2! #WeAreTheValley #NBAPlayoffs
Game 6: Thursday at 10:30pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/2dZpe1WFGP
— NBA (@NBA) June 2, 2021
Game 6 is Thursday night in Los Angeles.
Chris Paul of the Suns reinjured his right shoulder while battling for rebounding position with 6:47 left in the third quarter and didn’t return. He was officially ruled out early in the fourth quarter due to a contusion.
Paul had nine points, six assists and four rebounds in 23 minutes on a night in which Phoenix tallied 29 assists and committed just four turnovers. Los Angeles had 16 turnovers.
The Suns’ domination included a 30-point halftime lead that was the largest in franchise playoff history, while it marked Los Angeles’ second-largest halftime playoff deficit. The Lakers trailed the Portland Trail Blazers 75-41 in a first-round playoff game on April 23, 1992.
Final. Eyes forward to Thursday. pic.twitter.com/2Vp24mfWoT
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 2, 2021
Mikal Bridges tallied 13 points for Phoenix, which shot 45.7 percent from the field and made 14 of 42 from 3-point range.
Kyle Kuzma added 15 points for the Lakers, who connected on 34.5 percent of their shots, including 12 of 35 from behind the arc.
The Lakers led 10-5 in the opening minutes before Phoenix scored the next 16 points to take the lead for good.
Booker scored 18 points in the opening stanza as the Suns held a 34-26 lead entering the second period.
Phoenix began the second quarter with a 16-1 burst, opening up a 50-27 lead on Paul’s basket with 6:37 left.
Deandre Ayton’s basket with 48 seconds remaining gave the Suns a 66-36 halftime lead. Phoenix outscored Los Angeles 32-10 in the stanza.
The Suns increased the lead to 36 points on Booker’s basket with 7:30 left in the third quarter, shortly before Paul was reinjured. But the loss of its floor leader didn’t bother Phoenix as it continued to lead comfortably while finishing off the rout.
Los Angeles’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (knee) played 15 scoreless minutes before leaving. He missed Game 4 due to the injury.
