Lakers move above .500 with win over Suns
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers survived a second-half scare and held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 119-108 at Staples Center Sunday night.
The win raised the Lakers' record to 4-3 (including 3-0 at home). It is the first time they have had a winning record after seven games since they also started 4-3 in 2011-12. The Suns, meanwhile, fell to 2-5.
Before the game, Lakers coach Luke Walton said he expected his team to feel an "emotional hangover" after a big win over the Golden State Warriors Friday night and come out flat against the Suns.
The first-year coach was wrong.
With Julius Randle scoring eight first-quarter points, the Lakers took the lead midway through the opening period and extended it by shooting 70 percent (14 of 20) in the second quarter. By halftime, the Lakers led by 11, 54-43.
The Lakers were without forward Larry Nance Jr. for most of that time. Late in the first quarter, Nance hit the court hard while going for a loose ball. He left the game and was diagnosed with a concussion.
The NBA's concussion protocol requires Nance to be symptom-free for 24 hours before and after any workout before he is cleared to play again. That makes him doubtful for Tuesday's home game against the Dallas Mavericks.
If anyone was suffering from an "emotional hangover," it might have been the Suns feeling the after-effects of a pair of exciting wins -- back-to-back overtime wins Wednesday and Friday over the Portland Trailblazers and New Orleans Pelicans.
The Suns hit just five of their first 20 shots against the Lakers. Devin Booker had a career-high 38 points in Friday's win over the Pelicans but went just 3-for-12 for 10 points in the first half against the Lakers.
But the Suns came out hot in the second half, outscoring the Lakers 9-2 in the first 1:46 of the third quarter and hitting eight of their first nine shots. Booker had 11 points in the third quarter and fueled another surge to start the fourth quarter. When he converted a three-point play at the 6:59 mark, it was a one-point game, 93-92, with the young Lakers holding on.
After a series of empty possessions for both teams, however, the Lakers regained control. Jordan Clarkson hit a mid-range jumper to give them some breathing room. Then D'Angelo Russell stole the ball from T.J. Warren on the defensive end, drove the opposite lane and fed Nick Young for a jumper. Young hit the three-point attempt and was fouled by Jared Dudley.
When Young completed the four-point play by hitting a free throw, the Lakers were up by seven, 99-92, and the Suns never got any closer.
After that slow start, Booker finished with a personal-best 39 points for the Suns. The Lakers were led by Young with 22 points but got a big boost from their bench. Clarkson and Lou Williams combined for 32 points.
NOTES: Sunday was the first meeting between the Pacific Division rival Suns and Lakers without Kobe Bryant on the Lakers' roster since April 14, 1996. That game was played at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood before construction of Staples Center in downtown LA. ... The Suns held a light practice Saturday afternoon at a private residence in Bel Air. The workout was hosted by Steven Jackson, the chairman of LA Gear and president of footwear manufacturer ACI International. Jackson's Bel Air estate features a bowling alley, movie theater -- and a regulation-size replica of the Staples Center court complete with replica championship banners. Jackson (a Lakers season ticket holder) has hosted shoot-arounds for various NBA teams visiting L.A. ... After their workout Saturday, the Lakers hosted a group of Los Angeles Police Department officers and players ages 16 to 24 from a local recreation center for a basketball game. Lakers players Tarik Black and Metta World Peace spoke with the group about their experiences with the police, both good and bad. The event was the first in a series scheduled for each Saturday in November in which the Lakers will host groups of police and civilians to play basketball together in an effort to build better understanding between the two groups.