Game ID: 22300818
Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns
Sunday, February 25, 2024 at 3:30 PM ET
Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
PHX 45 27 23 28 123LAL 28 35 27 23 113
LAL @ PHX ScoutingLAL @ PHX Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
PHX availability going into 2/13 · 2 days' restBACK Bol back 2/04 after 11, 14 min since (130% of 11)
PHX availability going into 2/14 · back-to-backBACK Bol back 2/04 after 11, 12 min since (108% of 11)
PHX availability going into 2/22 · 7 days' rest
full strength
PHX availability going into 2/23 · back-to-backOUT Beal missed 2 since 2/14, out tonight
PHX availability going into 2/25 · 1 day's restOUT Beal missed 3 since 2/14, out tonight
PHX availability going into 2/29 · 3 days' restOUT Beal missed 4 since 2/14, out tonight
NEW Bol 11 to 17 min over the last 4
PHX availability going into 3/02 · 1 day's restOUT Beal missed 5 since 2/14, returns tonight: 20 min (60% of 34)
OUT Gordon missed 2 since 2/25, out tonight
NEW Bol 11 to 22 min over the last 4
PHX availability going into 3/03 · back-to-backOUT Gordon missed 3 since 2/25, returns tonight: 30 min (109% of 28)
BACK Beal back 3/02 after 5, 20 min since (60% of 34)
NEW Bol 11 to 22 min over the last 4
PHX availability going into 3/05 · 1 day's restBACK Beal back 3/02 after 5, 27 min since (80% of 34)
BACK Gordon back 3/03 after 3, 30 min since (109% of 28)
NEW O'Neale 25 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Bol 11 to 19 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 2/13 · 3 days' restOUT Reddish missed 9 since 1/25, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 4 since 2/03, out tonight
OUT Vincent missed 26 since 12/21, out tonight
BACK Davis back 2/03 after 2, 35 min since (98% of 36)
NEW Christie 14 to 21 min over the last 4
NEW Hayes 12 to 18 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 2/14 · back-to-backOUT Reddish missed 10 since 1/25, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 5 since 2/03, out tonight
OUT Vincent missed 27 since 12/21, out tonight
OUT Christie missed 2 since 2/09, out tonight
BACK Davis back 2/03 after 2, 34 min since (94% of 36)
LAL availability going into 2/22 · 7 days' restOUT Reddish missed 11 since 1/25, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 6 since 2/03, out tonight
OUT Vincent missed 28 since 12/21, out tonight
OUT Christie missed 3 since 2/09, returns tonight: 29 min (204% of 14)
NEW Hachimura 27 to 33 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 2/23 · back-to-backOUT James missed 2 since 2/14, returns tonight: 34 min (96% of 36)
OUT Reddish missed 12 since 1/25, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 7 since 2/03, out tonight
OUT Vincent missed 29 since 12/21, out tonight
BACK Christie back 2/22 after 3, 29 min since (204% of 14)
NEW Hachimura 27 to 34 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 2/25 · 1 day's restOUT Reddish missed 13 since 1/25, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 8 since 2/03, out tonight
OUT Vincent missed 30 since 12/21, out tonight
OUT Wood missed 2 since 2/22, out tonight
BACK James back 2/23 after 2, 34 min since (96% of 36)
BACK Christie back 2/22 after 3, 21 min since (149% of 14)
NEW Hachimura 27 to 33 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 2/28 · 2 days' restOUT Reddish missed 14 since 1/25, returns tonight: 20 min (96% of 20)
OUT Vanderbilt missed 9 since 2/03, out tonight
OUT Vincent missed 31 since 12/21, out tonight
OUT Wood missed 3 since 2/22, out tonight
BACK James back 2/23 after 2, 36 min since (100% of 36)
BACK Christie back 2/22 after 3, 16 min since (112% of 14)
LAL availability going into 2/29 · back-to-backOUT Vanderbilt missed 10 since 2/03, out tonight
OUT Vincent missed 32 since 12/21, out tonight
OUT Wood missed 4 since 2/22, out tonight
BACK James back 2/23 after 2, 36 min since (101% of 36)
BACK Reddish back 2/28 after 14, 20 min since (96% of 20)
BACK Christie back 2/22 after 3, 12 min since (84% of 14)
LAL availability going into 3/02 · 1 day's restOUT Vanderbilt missed 11 since 2/03, out tonight
OUT Vincent missed 33 since 12/21, out tonight
OUT Wood missed 5 since 2/22, out tonight
BACK James back 2/23 after 2, 37 min since (103% of 36)
BACK Reddish back 2/28 after 14, 12 min since (58% of 20)
BACK Christie back 2/22 after 3, 11 min since (79% of 14)
LAL availability going into 3/04 · 1 day's restOUT Vanderbilt missed 12 since 2/03, out tonight
OUT Vincent missed 34 since 12/21, out tonight
OUT Wood missed 6 since 2/22, out tonight
BACK James back 2/23 after 2, 37 min since (103% of 36)
BACK Reddish back 2/28 after 14, 14 min since (69% of 20)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 115, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 31 free throws a game; Durant at 26 and Booker at 25 a game. Without Beal (3 straight). One day's rest. The Lakers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 127 a night and allowing 120, shooting 53 percent and 40 from three, 25 free throws a game; Davis at 26 and James at 25 a game. They have lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Reddish (13 straight), Vanderbilt (8 straight), Vincent (30 straight). One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the turnovers, Phoenix giving it away 15 times a game to the Lakers' 11 and the arc, the Lakers at 40 percent from three to Phoenix's 34. Call it Phoenix 119, the Lakers 117, the Lakers keeping it close.
2/13 vs SAC 130-125 — PHX notes
PHX won 130-125. PHX shot 52% (44 of 85) to SAC's 52%, 13 of 31 from three, and went to the line 36 times to SAC's 24 — 29 points from the stripe to their 18. The glass went 39-50 against them. Durant led with 28 (11 of 17, 2 of 5 from three, 4 of 6 at the line); Booker added 25, Gordon 23. The hinge was Q3, 30-25: PHX came in trailing by 3 and left it ahead by 2. PHX trailed 64-67 at the half and won the second half 66-58. O'Neale was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
2/14 vs DET 116-100 — PHX notes
PHX won 116-100. PHX shot 45% (35 of 77) to DET's 38%, 10 of 31 from three, and went to the line 44 times to DET's 22 — 36 points from the stripe to their 14. Durant led with 25 (8 of 13, 1 of 3 from three, 8 of 8 at the line); Lee added 16, Gordon 13. The hinge was Q2, 33-16: a lead of 12 became 29, and the lead reached 35. O'Neale was the night's best plus/minus at +37.
2/22 @ DAL 113-123 — PHX notes
PHX lost 113-123. PHX shot 48% (40 of 83) to DAL's 48%, 15 of 36 from three. PHX turned it over 16 times to DAL's 10, and DAL turned those into 10 steals. Booker led with 35 (13 of 21, 2 of 6 from three, 7 of 8 at the line); Durant added 23, Gordon 16. Q2 was theirs, 30-28, but the other 3 periods went 95-83 against them. They led by as many as 11. Okogie's -15 in 18 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/23 @ HOU 110-114 — PHX notes
PHX lost 110-114. PHX shot 40% (38 of 95) to HOU's 40%, 7 of 31 from three. Durant led with 28 (10 of 22, 1 of 7 from three, 7 of 10 at the line); Booker added 25, Bol 25. Q4 was theirs, 34-25, the deficit cut from 13 to 4, but the other 3 periods went 89-76 against them. They led by as many as 16. O'Neale's -23 in 17 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/25 vs LAL 123-113 — PHX notes
PHX won 123-113. PHX shot 47% (44 of 93) to LAL's 52%, 17 of 40 from three, and went to the line 19 times to LAL's 8 — 18 points from the stripe to their 4. The glass went 51-34 for them. Allen led with 24 (8 of 17, 6 of 12 from three); Durant added 22, Booker 21. The hinge was Q1, 45-28: from level to 17 ahead, and the lead reached 20. O'Neale was the night's best plus/minus at +22.
2/29 vs HOU — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 115, shooting 46 percent and 37 from three, 32 free throws a game; Durant at 25 and Booker at 23 a game. Without Beal (4 straight). 3 days' rest. Houston comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 119, shooting 41 percent and 33 from three, 26 free throws a game; Sengun at 20 and Smith Jr. at 15 a game. One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the line, where Phoenix takes 32 free throws a game to Houston's 26 and the arc, Phoenix at 37 percent from three to Houston's 33. Call it Phoenix 118, Houston 111.
3/02 vs HOU — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 111, shooting 44 percent and 35 from three, 32 free throws a game; Booker at 25 and Durant at 24 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. Without Beal (5 straight), Gordon (2 straight). One day's rest. Houston comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 116, shooting 39 percent and 31 from three, 27 free throws a game; Sengun at 17 and Ja. Green at 17 a game. That is 3 straight losses. One day's rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Phoenix has been plus-4 a night and Houston minus-1 and the arc, Phoenix at 35 percent from three to Houston's 31. Call it Phoenix 117, Houston 109.
3/03 vs OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 115, shooting 44 percent and 35 from three, 29 free throws a game; Booker at 28 and Durant at 25 a game. Without Gordon (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. OKC comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 110, shooting 52 percent and 43 from three, 19 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 32 and Holmgren at 22 a game. 2 days' rest.
So: OKC wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, OKC at 43 percent from three to Phoenix's 35 and the line, where Phoenix takes 29 free throws a game to OKC's 19. Call it OKC 118, Phoenix 114, Phoenix keeping it close.
3/05 @ DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Denver comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 104, shooting 53 percent and 39 from three, 17 free throws a game; Jokić at 26 and Porter Jr. at 22 a game. That is 5 straight wins. 2 days' rest. Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 114, shooting 43 percent and 34 from three, 28 free throws a game; Booker at 26 and Durant at 25 a game. It has won the glass by 4 a night. One day's rest.
So: Denver wins, and the game turns on the line, where Phoenix takes 28 free throws a game to Denver's 17 and the defense, Denver allowing 104 a night to Phoenix's 114. Call it Denver 116, Phoenix 110.
2/13 vs DET 125-111 — LAL notes
LAL won 125-111. LAL shot 51% (43 of 84) to DET's 42%, 14 of 35 from three, and went to the line 30 times to DET's 17 — 25 points from the stripe to their 13. LAL turned it over 15 times to DET's 10, and DET turned those into 8 steals. James led with 25 (9 of 15, 3 of 6 from three); Russell added 21, Davis 20. The hinge was Q2, 37-24: a lead of 10 became 23. Reaves was the night's best plus/minus at +25.
2/14 @ UTA 138-122 — LAL notes
LAL won 138-122. LAL shot 57% (52 of 91) to UTA's 49%, 14 of 31 from three, and went to the line 24 times to UTA's 13 — 20 points from the stripe to their 10. Davis led with 37 (13 of 25, 1 of 3 from three, 10 of 13 at the line); Hachimura added 36, Reaves 22. The hinge was Q3, 38-23: a lead of 1 became 16, and the lead reached 23. Hachimura was the night's best plus/minus at +25.
2/22 @ GSW 110-128 — LAL notes
LAL lost 110-128. LAL shot 49% (43 of 88) to GSW's 47%, 10 of 35 from three, and went to the line 21 times to GSW's 14 — 14 points from the stripe to their 12. Davis led with 27 (11 of 19, 5 of 6 at the line); Russell added 18, Reaves 16. Q4 was theirs, 28-30, but the other 3 periods went 98-82 against them. Hachimura's -28 in 32 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/23 vs SAS 123-118 — LAL notes
LAL won 123-118. LAL shot 52% (49 of 95) to SAS's 44%, 11 of 27 from three. James led with 30 (13 of 22, 2 of 3 from three); Davis added 28, Russell 22. The hinge was Q1, 30-26: from level to 4 ahead, and the lead reached 18. James was the night's best plus/minus at +21.
2/25 @ PHX 113-123 — LAL notes
LAL lost 113-123. LAL shot 52% (47 of 90) to PHX's 47%, 15 of 35 from three, and got to the line 8 times to PHX's 19. The glass went 34-51 against them. James led with 28 (12 of 19, 3 of 6 from three); Davis added 22, Russell 20. Q2 was theirs, 35-27, the deficit cut from 17 to 9, but the other 3 periods went 96-78 against them. Prince's -13 in 27 minutes was the worst on the floor.
2/28 @ LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Clippers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 119, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 23 free throws a game; Leonard at 20 and Harden at 18 a game. 2 days' rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 122 a night and allowing 120, shooting 52 percent and 39 from three, 20 free throws a game; James at 28 and Davis at 27 a game. They have lost the glass by 7 a night. Without Reddish (14 straight), Vanderbilt (9 straight), Vincent (31 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: The Clippers win, and the game turns on the glass, where the Clippers have been plus-0 a night and the Lakers minus-7 and the arc, the Lakers at 39 percent from three to the Clippers' 34. Call it the Clippers 118, the Lakers 117, the Lakers keeping it close.
2/29 vs WAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 121, shooting 53 percent and 39 from three, 16 free throws a game; James at 31 and Davis at 27 a game. They have lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Vanderbilt (10 straight), Vincent (32 straight), Wood (4 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Washington comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 129, shooting 44 percent and 36 from three, 18 free throws a game; Kuzma at 25 and Poole at 20 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. Without Avdija (3 straight), Champagnie (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Lakers win, and the game turns on the defense, the Lakers allowing 121 a night to Washington's 129 and the turnovers, Washington giving it away 15 times a game to the Lakers' 11. Call it the Lakers 123, Washington 116.
3/02 vs DEN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 122, shooting 52 percent and 37 from three, 16 free throws a game; James at 31 and Davis at 27 a game. They have lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Vanderbilt (11 straight), Vincent (33 straight), Wood (5 straight). One day's rest. Denver comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 104, shooting 52 percent and 35 from three, 19 free throws a game; Jokić at 23 and Porter Jr. at 22 a game. That is 5 straight wins. One day's rest.
So: Denver wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Denver allowing 104 a night to the Lakers' 122 and the glass, where Denver has been plus-4 a night and the Lakers minus-4. Call it Denver 117, the Lakers 114, the Lakers keeping it close.
3/04 vs OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 122, shooting 53 percent and 40 from three, 14 free throws a game; James at 30 and Davis at 25 a game. They have lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Vanderbilt (12 straight), Vincent (34 straight), Wood (6 straight). One day's rest. OKC comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 111, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 18 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 33 and Holmgren at 22 a game. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: OKC wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, OKC allowing 111 a night to the Lakers' 122 and the glass, where OKC has been plus-1 a night and the Lakers minus-6. Call it OKC 119, the Lakers 117, the Lakers keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
PHXBB B. Bol
DB D. Booker
DE D. Eubanks
DR D. Roddy
GA G. Allen
JN J. Nurkić
JO J. Okogie
KD K. Durant
NU Nurkic
RO R. O'Neale
SL S. Lee
LALAD A. Davis
AR A. Reaves
DR D. Russell
JH J. Hayes
LJ L. James
MC M. Christie
RH R. Hachimura
SD S. Dinwiddie
SM S. Mays
TP T. Prince
WI Windler
PHX/LAL the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Grayson Allen leads balanced effort for Suns, who pull away late for 123-113 win over Lakers
PHOENIX -- — It's no surprise that the Phoenix Suns were led by a Big Three on Sunday.
The twist is that those three players were Grayson Allen , Royce O'Neale and Jusuf Nurkic .
Allen scored 24 points, Kevin Durant added 22 and the Suns pulled away late in the fourth quarter to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-113.
Allen and O’Neale hit crucial 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to put the Suns up 116-104 with three minutes left. Nurkic added one of the best all-around games of his career with 18 points, 22 rebounds and seven assists.
“Those three guys were the stars of the game tonight,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said.
The Suns have built their roster around the so-called Big Three of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal — a group that's made a combined 21 All-Star teams. As expected, they've done a lot of the heavy lifting this season, but the emergence of role players such as Allen, O'Neale and Nurkic has made the Suns a much deeper team.
Allen said he's learned to pick his scoring spots when playing with the Suns' stars. Sunday was one of them.
“It's a little bit of a feel, but a lot of it is that I understand our team goes where (Booker, Durant and Beal) go,” Allen said. “They're going to lead us on both ends of the floor. So offensively, whatever shot-making I'm doing has to help the offense as a whole.”
Said Durant: “He's been making the right plays all season.”
The Lakers trailed by 20 points late in the first quarter, but slowly cut the deficit to 92-90 by late in the third. Phoenix responded with the next six points and didn't trail in the fourth, snapping a two-game skid.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting and also had 12 assists. Anthony Davis had 22 points and 14 rebounds.
Four Phoenix starters scored at least 20 points and the Suns had a 51-34 rebounding advantage. Booker scored 21 and O'Neale added 20 on 6-of-10 shooting on 3s. Bol Bol had 11 points in 24 minutes off the bench.
The Suns took a 38-18 lead late in the first quarter before settling for a 45-28 advantage going into the second. The 45 points were the most Phoenix has scored in a quarter this season. The Lakers cut into that advantage in the second but still trailed 72-63 at the break.
“Super slow start for us, offensively and defensively,” James said. “We give up 45 points in a quarter and it's an uphill battle. From that point on, we played some really good basketball, but their role players did a good job shooting the ball.”
D'Angelo Russell led Los Angeles with 18 points in the first half while Booker had 13 for the Suns.
Beal missed his fourth straight game because of a tight left hamstring. He's played just 30 of the team's 58 games this season because of various injuries. Key backup Eric Gordon was also out with left groin soreness.
Phoenix and Los Angeles are in a similar position roughly two-thirds of the way through the regular season. Both teams have star-laden rosters, but are struggling to avoid the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.
The Suns entered the game as the West’s No. 8 seed while the Lakers were No. 9. The top six teams in each conference avoid the play-in tournament and advance to the first best-of-seven round.