In a contest defined by dramatic swings, LeBron James delivered a decisive, final-second flurry of plays, steering the Los Angeles Lakers to a tense 116-114 victory over the host Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. The Lakers survived a near-catastrophic collapse after losing a massive lead.
James first secured the narrow advantage with two crucial free throws with three seconds left on the clock. Moments later, he sealed the win on the defensive end, soaring to block Grayson Allen’s potential game-winning three-pointer as the final buzzer sounded.
The Lakers’ win defied a poor shooting night, especially from beyond the arc where they hit just seven of 37 attempts. Luka Doncic led the scoring, putting up 29 points, despite missing 12 of his 14 three-point shots. James finished with 26 points.
Los Angeles had trailed 77-71 in the third quarter before unleashing a stunning 24-0 run that bridged the two periods. The dominant stretch held the Suns scoreless for over eight minutes, vaulting the Lakers into what looked like a comfortable 95-77 cushion.
Yet, Phoenix roared back in the fourth. Dillon Brooks buried a three-pointer with 12.2 seconds left, giving the Suns a sudden 114-113 lead.
The moment of celebration proved costly for Brooks. Already holding a technical foul from earlier exchanges with James, his exuberance earned him a second technical and an immediate ejection from the game.
James missed the ensuing free throw granted by the technical. However, on the next possession, he pulled up for a three-pointer and drew a three-shot foul on Devin Booker. James calmly sank the final two attempts, recapturing the lead.
Down by one point, the Suns took their last gasp. But James met Allen at the perimeter, emphatically rejecting the shot and securing a two-point margin of victory after Marcus Smart added a final free throw following the rebound.
Phoenix’s offensive drought spanned from the five-minute mark of the third period until the final quarter, a span in which they missed 14 consecutive shots and turned the ball over seven times. Despite this lapse, the Suns ultimately outshot the Lakers both overall and from three-point range.
Booker led Phoenix with 27 points, while Mark Williams scored 20 and Brooks added 18 before his ejection. The dramatic win avenged an earlier loss to the Suns for the Lakers. Would you like to see a summary of the Lakers’ and Suns’ season records after this game?
