Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers completed one of the most amazing comebacks of all time. This week, they defeated the Phoenix Suns 116-114 in a hard fought, high intensity game. LeBron James was instrumental in this game, dropping 26 points on the day. He drained the eventual winning points via two clutch free throws with less than three seconds remaining. This hard fought victory illustrated just how resilient the Lakers truly are. It served as a second reminder of how heated the rivalry has gotten, especially during their most prominent duel—LeBron vs. Dillon Brooks.
As the fourth quarter started, the Lakers were down 77-71. They turned the tide by holding the Suns scoreless for an impressive 8:05. The Suns’ effectiveness tanked during this stretch. Over those same six-plus minutes, they missed 14 straight shots and had seven turnovers, allowing the Lakers to take the driver’s seat on the scoreboard.
Offensive Luka Doncic was on display all night for the Suns. As to be expected, Luka Doncic led all scorers with 29 points. At the same time, Deandre Ayton was a force himself with 20 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, making his mark both on the glass and in the paint. Grayson Allen had 13 points and Royce O’Neale 12. At the same time, Collin Gillespie helped out with 10 points.
Dillon Brooks, who finished with 12 points, had a physical confrontation with LeBron James in the contest that preceded this one. This complaint was met with an escalation of confrontation, leading to Brooks being tossed after receiving a second technical foul. His exit was an under-the-radar key turning point as it allowed momentum to swing back to the Lakers.
In a wild final scene, LeBron James had big bang — boom! — and made two free throws, giving Los Angeles the lead. With only three seconds left on the clock, the tension in the arena was palpable. The Suns had one last opportunity to reclaim victory, but James blocked Grayson Allen’s potential game-winning three-pointer, sealing the Lakers’ comeback triumph.
This win is a major turning point for the Lakers as they keep gaining momentum in their season. Jaxson Hayes, pictured above, provided an offensive spark off the bench with 12 points. The real story was the team’s depth and their ability to master situations that bristled with pressure.
