Luka Doncic's 41-point Effort Can't Save Lakers From Last-second Loss To Suns

PHOENIX — Days aft losing to nan Orlando Magic successful a heartbreaker, nan Lakers focused connected trying to hit a Phoenix Suns squad missing cardinal players.

In nan end, nan consequence was nan aforesaid — disappointment.

The Lakers mislaid 113-110 aft Austin Reaves missed a three-point effort arsenic clip expired. Royce O’Neale‘s three-pointer pinch 0.9 of a 2nd near sent nan Lakers to their 3rd consecutive loss.

On nan last play, Marcus Smart inbounded nan shot and LeBron James and Maxi Kleber group a double-screen to get Reaves open. Reaves floated to nan area and took a cross-court walk from Smart. But Reaves’ changeable bounced disconnected nan rim, sending nan Lakers to different nonaccomplishment contempt Luka Doncic‘s 41 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists.

The 4th fourth went back-and-forth earlier nan Suns built a 12-point lead pinch 6:28 left. The Lakers quickly recovered and tied nan people connected a Reaves three-pointer pinch 1:00 left. O’Neale scored connected an violative rebound to springiness nan Suns a 110-108 lead earlier James scored connected a put-back to necktie nan score.

The Suns past called a timeout to group up O’Neale’s winning shot.

Phoenix, which had mislaid six of its past 8 games entering Thursday, played without All-Star defender Devin Booker (right hep strain), Dillon Brooks (left manus fracture) and Jordan Goodwin (left calf strain).

Still, nan Lakers (34-24) knew nan Suns (34-26) would play difficult and propulsion up a batch of three-pointers — Phoenix changeable 22 for 50 from three-point range.

When nan Lakers went up by 3 early successful nan fourth, things looked good. But past nan Suns went connected a 13-3 run.

Lakers coach JJ Redick was forced to telephone a timeout aft Oso Ighodaro rolled successful for an uncontested dunk, putting nan Lakers down 96-86 pinch 7:43 seconds left.

The Lakers went down by 10 points successful nan 2nd quarter, but took a two-point lead precocious successful nan 4th connected a Reaves three-pointer. But Grayson Allen scored connected a layup to necktie nan people 49-49 astatine halftime.

The Lakers opened a 13-point lead successful nan 3rd quarter, but ended up tied 80-80 entering nan fourth.

Allen carried nan Suns successful nan third, scoring 16 points. He missed conscionable 1 of his shots and conscionable 1 of his 5 three-pointers successful nan third.

James vanished pinch 15 points, six rebounds and 5 assists. Reaves scored 14 points and Smart had 13 points.

The Lakers mislaid to Orlando connected Tuesday by 1 constituent connected a botched play erstwhile Doncic didn’t sprout a three-pointer and alternatively passed nan shot to James, who missed a last-second three-point attempt.

It was a reliable measurement for nan Lakers to extremity their eight-game homestand, going 4-4 complete that stretch.

Redick was asked if it is easy to move connected aft a reliable loss.

“Well, I deliberation that’s not successful general,” Redick said. “I deliberation location are circumstantial times passim nan play wherever you talk astir what conscionable happened, much than conscionable your normal review. You’re not going to do that aft each game. So, we had a awesome believe and gathering connected Monday aft nan Boston crippled and you don’t request to belabor each azygous loss.”

ETC.

Lakers guardant Rui Hachimura didn’t play against nan Suns because of an illness, nan squad said. But backup halfway Jaxson Hayes, who missed nan past crippled pinch correct ankle soreness, played 21 minutes against nan Suns, finishing pinch 8 points and 3 rebounds.