Suns 116, Lakers 107
Goran Dragic scored 24 points and Eric Bledsoe contributed 22 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals as visiting Phoenix defeated Los Angeles for its sixth consecutive victory.
Isaiah Thomas tallied 15 points as the Suns won despite Lakers guard Kobe Bryant returning from a three-game absence. Markieff Morris and P.J. Tucker added 12 points apiece as Phoenix defeated the Lakers for the third consecutive time this season and the seventh time in the last eight meetings.
Bryant was rested to alleviate soreness from his knees, feet, back and Achilles’ tendons and had 10 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes. Nick Young came off the bench to score 21 points, fellow reserve Jeremy Lin added 19 and Wesley Johnson had 14 for Los Angeles, which went 12-of-20 from 3-point range but just 11-of-20 from the free-throw line.
The Suns stretched a seven-point lead to 13 as Dragic and Gerald Green each hit 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter and Los Angeles later rattled off nine straight points – five by Young – to pull within 98-94 with 6:05 remaining. The Lakers cut their deficit to 106-105 on two free throws by Young with 2:20 to play before Tucker’s basket started a string of eight straight Phoenix points to seal it.
Young drained four 3-pointers in the first half to help Los Angeles take a 56-55 lead into the break. Phoenix held an eight-point lead late in the third quarter on Bledsoe’s 3-pointer before taking an 88-81 advantage into the final quarter.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Dragic went 4-of-6 from 3-point range. … Los Angeles committed 17 turnovers – five by Bryant – leading to 25 Phoenix points. … The Suns have won five straight road games.