The Los Angeles Lakers had won their previous two games coming into Thursday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns. They had won all three of their previous matchups against Phoenix, and the hope was they would get a third win in a row to get their season record over .500.
Instead, the game marked a return to the ineptitude that put them under .500 to begin with.
The Lakers fell behind by as many as 17 points in the first quarter. They had trouble taking care of the ball and committed five turnovers, which led to easy points for Phoenix. Los Angeles went on a brief run to come within six points early in the second period before the Suns went up again by 17 with just under four minutes to go in the first half.
Phoenix led 66-52 at intermission, and the difference in the game at that point was turnovers — L.A. had nine to three for Phoenix, which resulted in 17 points for Phoenix.
The game grew even worse. The Lakers’ deficit increased to 31 points in the third quarter, and the rest of the game was never competitive as LeBron James and crew lost, 127-109.
This was one of the few times this season that Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker have all been healthy for the Suns at the same time. While the Lakers held Durant to 18 points, Booker scored 31 points while Beal burned them with 37 points on 14-of-21 shooting and 8-of-10 from 3-point range.
In some ways, the Lakers were beat on sheer effort. One stat in particular stands out: They were outrebounded, 46-37, and they also gave up 13 offensive rebounds and 15 second-chance points. They simply didn’t have any fire or edge at any time in this game.
The Purple and Gold are 19-20 and have fallen back to 10th place in the Western Conference. Despite playing each of their last five games at home, they have lost three of them, and time is rapidly running out for them to turn the season around.
Anthony Davis: D-plus/C-minus
Davis has been so consistently dominant lately that it’s odd to see him have the type of anemic game he had on Thursday. The first half was a quiet; he missed four of his first six shots. Although his marksmanship improved afterward, he never really made much of an impact.
He finished with just 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting, five rebounds, two blocked shots, one assist and one steal in 32 minutes.
Cam Reddish: Incomplete
Reddish bumped his left knee in the third quarter and didn’t return due to soreness in that knee. He played eight minutes and attempted one shot while making no positive contribution on the stat sheet.
Taurean Prince: B-minus/B
Prince continues to consistently space the floor for Los Angeles. He knocked down three of his eight attempts from downtown, and overall, he scored 11 points to go along with six rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes.
Austin Reaves: C/C-plus
Reaves made an effort to get his teammates involved early. He made his first two 3-point attempts, which was a good sign given his massive struggles in that category lately. He finished with 13 points and six assists, but he attempted only seven shots in 30 minutes.
The problem for Reaves was the Suns also made an effort to go at him and target the player he was guarding. He simply couldn’t do much, if anything, to slow their guards. The Lakers have to find a way to give him some help on the defensive end when he finds himself on an island.
LeBron James: D
James struggled early, making just one of his first five field goal attempts and missing two early free throws, although he did have eight first-half assists. He never got himself into any rhythm, and he scored just 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting while missing all four of his 3-point attempts and committing four turnovers. His 10 points were a season-low for him.
Because this contest was such a blowout, James played just 24 minutes and sat the fourth quarter.
Jarred Vanderbilt: B-plus
Vanderbilt helped the Lakers soon after entering the game to start the second quarter. He played some effective defense on Kevin Durant, and he even hit a 3-pointer, something he rarely does. Overall, he grabbed nine rebounds, scored six points and came up with two steals in 28 minutes.
D'Angelo Russell: B-plus/A-minus
Russell got himself into a decent rhythm in this game. He made half of his 14 shots and went 3-of-7 from downtown to score 19 points, and he also dished off six assists and had two steals in 27 minutes. It seems like perhaps he has gotten himself out of the slump that afflicted him for most of December.
Jaxson Hayes: C/C-plus
Hayes didn’t play in the Lakers’ previous three games, but he got onto the court for 13 minutes against Phoenix since Christian Wood was ruled out due to a migraine. When Hayes came into the game to start the second quarter, he made a quick impact with three easy baskets and a blocked shot. However, he also got posterized by Josh Okogie off a loose ball, and he picked up four fouls in only four minutes, forcing him to the bench.
Overall, he had six points, two rebounds and two blocks, and he ended up fouling out late in the fourth quarter.
Max Christie: B-plus
In 25 minutes, Christie went 4-of-8 from the field and scored 14 points while grabbing seven rebounds and adding four assists. However, he had trouble guarding Devin Booker, who went off for 23 first-half points. But the meaningful playing time Christie has been getting lately will help him develop and figure things out, especially on the defensive end, where he clearly has potential.
Skylar Mays: A
Mays got his first stint on the court for the Lakers after they signed him just several days ago. He scored two layups off a drive, one of them coming on a fast-break assist from Vanderbilt, and he hit two 3-pointers before getting a dunk off another dime from Vanderbilt.
He finished with a dozen points, one rebound, one assist and one steal in 12 minutes.
Dylan Windler, Jalen Hood-Schifino: Incomplete
Both players got five minutes of playing time at the end of this game. Both scored one basket apiece, and Windler also had one assist.
