NBA: Suns pull away to keep Lakers winless on road
Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on November 22, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Devin Booker and Mikal Bridges scored 25 points apiece to help the Phoenix Suns post a 115-105 victory over the road-challenged Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
Duane Washington Jr. scored 15 points and Deandre Ayton added 14 points and 15 rebounds for Phoenix, which improved to 9-1 at home. Cameron Payne had 11 points and seven assists for the Suns.
Article continues after this advertisementAnthony Davis had 37 points, five blocked shots and season bests of 21 rebounds and five steals for the Lakers, who fell to 0-6 on the road. Davis is the third Laker to score 30 or more points and grab 15 or more rebounds in four straight games, joining Elgin Baylor and Shaquille O’Neal.
Lonnie Walker IV scored 24 points, Russell Westbrook added 21 and Austin Reaves had 11 points for the Lakers.
Los Angeles played without LeBron James (adductor) for the fifth straight game.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Suns were without Chris Paul (heel) for the seventh straight game.
Phoenix made 47.1 percent of its shots and was 16 of 34 (also 47.1 percent) from 3-point range. Bridges was 5 of 7 from behind the arc.
The Lakers shot 42.4 percent from the field and were a lowly 4 of 22 (18.2 percent) from 3-point range.
Tension was evident down the stretch after an incident with 3:55 remaining in which the Lakers’ Patrick Beverley was ejected.
37 PTS
21 REB
5 STL
5 BLKAnthony Davis was unbelievable tonight, posting his FOURTH 30+ point and 15+ rebound game in a row.
He becomes only the second Laker in history to record 35+ PTS, 20+ REB, and 5+ BLK in a game, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (5 times). pic.twitter.com/BFZULyfR81
— NBA (@NBA) November 23, 2022
“Pat needs to stop pushing people in the back,” Booker said. “Push them in the chest.”
The sequence began with Booker drawing a flagrant foul 1 for hitting Reaves in the face while contesting his shot and knocking him to the ground. Ayton stood over Reaves and said something, and Beverley came charging from behind and delivered a hard bodycheck into Ayton’s left side.
Ayton was assessed a technical foul for taunting and Beverley drew one for the physical hit. Reaves made both free throws from the Booker foul.
Los Angeles was within six after a subsequent Davis dunk, but Phoenix began separating again. Torrey Craig’s 3-pointer made it 113-102 with 1:56 left, and the Suns closed it out.
The Suns trailed by two at halftime but opened the third quarter with a 12-2 surge to take a 65-57 lead.
A short time later, Booker and Bridges made 3-pointers to push the advantage to 71-61 with 5:49 to go in the quarter.
Los Angeles moved within 78-77 on Westbrook’s basket with 1:29 remaining, but Phoenix took an 86-79 lead into the final stanza.
Ayton’s basket elevated the Suns’ lead to 98-84 with 7:52 left in the game. The Lakers responded with a 10-2 push and moved within 100-94 on two free throws by Walker with 5:20 remaining.
Davis had 14 points and 10 rebounds in the first half as the Lakers held a 55-53 lead. Bridges scored 16 in the half for Phoenix.
