The Phoenix Suns snapped their five-game losing streak on Tuesday following a 127-100 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Group Stage of the Emirates NBA Cup. The Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal combined for 72 points. Durant (seven games) and Beal (five games) played for the first time since being sidelined due to a left calf strain.
Booker led all scorers with 26 points and 10 assists on 42.9% shooting from deep. Durant and Beal added 23 points apiece, to give the Suns the much-needed boost to improve their record.
Anthony Davis ended with 25 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks on a shooting percentage of 52.6% for the Lakers. His co-star, LeBron James, flirted with a triple-double with 18 points, seven rebounds and ten assists. However, that wasn’t enough to push them past the Suns and maintain a perfect record in the In-Season Tournament.
The Suns outperformed the Lakers in the 3-point department and shot 40% as a team in 42 attempts. Los Angeles, meanwhile, struggled to make shots from deep and made 23% of their threes.
After the game. KD spoke about his return and credited the crowd for their energy, helping the team win against their longtime rival.
“It felt great,” Durant said about his return to action. “Orange floor gave me some energy, our crowd gave us some energy, it was good to come back here on our home floor against a great team like that. We needed this win.”
“I like our work ethic, I like the process we’re taking right now, everything means something to us. As long as we can be healthy and continue that process, we’ll be fine. Tonight is one of those nights, we just gotta keep grinding… we’re just trying to stack good days, stack wins and see what happens.”
"Every day means something to us"
KD chops it up with @JaredSGreenberg after the Phoenix win 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/0dVR602YYu
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 27, 2024
The Suns will take on the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, the fourth game in their six-game home stand.
Phoenix Suns’ Beal had a viral block against LeBron James
The Phoenix Suns’ trio were locked in the game to secure a win. During the fourth quarter, Beal had a defensive highlight that got the crowd on their feet. Oso Ighodaro missed a shot, and James grabbed the defensive rebound, creating a fastbreak opportunity.
Ahead of the Lakers star was Royce O’Neale, but James spun past him to attempt a layup. But Beal, who was behind him, stood up to block the shot, igniting the fans’ cheers.
BRADLEY BEAL CHASE DOWN BLOCK ON LEBRON.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 27, 2024
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
