Suns get all-time win vs. Lakers
PHOENIX -- Eric Bledsoe had his third career triple double with 25 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists and the Phoenix Suns rolled to their biggest win of the season, a 137-101 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.
It was the largest margin of victory for Phoenix over Los Angeles in the 240 all-time meetings. The previous high was a 135-100 win for the Suns on Christmas Day, 1973.
Devin Booker had 21 of his 23 points in the first half and Alex Len and Marquese Chriss had 15 points each for Phoenix, who set a season high for points, shooting percentage (55.7 percent) and fastbreak points with a 41-16 edge over the Lakers.
The Suns (18-39) have beaten the Lakers 11 straight times at Talking Stick Arena, their longest home winning streak in the history of the series.
Lou Williams and D'Angelo Williams had 21 points each and Jordan Clarkson had 15 for the Lakers (19-39), who have lost 16 of the last 21 meetings with Phoenix overall.
Phoenix had lost five of its last six games, but was in control from the start.
The Suns scored the first seven points of the game and were up 21-6 by midway through the first quarter. Booker had 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting and Bledsoe had his per-game average of six assists.
The Suns held the Lakers to 15 points in the quarter, a season-low for an opponent
Phoenix had 14 fast-break points in the quarter and Booker's second 3-increased the lead to 32-10 with 1:41 left. Chriss had nine points, six of them on fast-break dunks.
The Lakers were able to whittle the lead down with a 9-2 run early in the second quarter, with a Luol Deng layup getting Los Angeles within 41-30 with 8:43 left.
But Booker hit two 3-pointers 46 seconds apart and Bledsoe capped Phoenix's highest scoring first half of the season by banking in a 3-pointer from a step inside midcourt just before the to restore the Suns lead to 68-48.
Booker and Bledsoe combined for 31 points and Bledsoe at a double-double (10 points, 10 assists) at the break.
The Suns kept piling on in the second half. They led 102-76 after three quarters and a Brandon Knight 3-pointer with 8:39 left gave the Suns a 34-point lead (114-80), and the final margin was their biggest lead against any team this season.
NOTES: Lakes coach Luke Walton (36) and Suns coach Earl Watson of the Suns (37) are the two youngest coaches in the NBA. ... Lakers G D'Angelo Russell and Booker ranked third and fourth in 3-pointers made before their 21st birthday with 210 and 200 respectively. Russell turns 21 on Thursday. Only Washington G Bradley Beal (229) and Cleveland F LeBron James (212) have more. ... Suns F P.J. Tucker set career highs in rebounds (16 against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday) and steals (seven against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 4) in the past 11 days.