The Phoenix Suns followed a familiar script in their 107-96 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, struggling with defense and offense. The team trailed by as many as 20 points in the first half and never regained momentum.
Kevin Durant’s performance was particularly concerning, as he showed signs of disinterest in his off-ball defense and transition play. His inability to close out on shooters and make timely rotations has been a consistent issue this season.
Durant attempted to make up for his poor play with a late surge, scoring 15 points in the third quarter to cut the Lakers’ lead. However, the Suns ultimately fell short due to their struggles from beyond the arc (9-for-41, 22%).
Devin Booker had a rough day, shooting just 6-of-17 and committing three turnovers. The Suns also struggled with player rotation, playing three bigs in smaller spurts, which led to some mismatches.
The Lakers were without several key players due to injuries, but Luka Doncic’s performance still made him nearly unstoppable, with 33 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and four turnovers.
Source: https://arizonasports.com/nba/phoenix-suns/suns-lakers-loss/3577250