There is a change on the Lakers side since Anthony Davis is back after a match in the infirmary, but also because Darvin Ham has chosen to leave Austin Reaves on the bench to start Cam Reddish. That didn’t stop Bradley Beal from shining, with nine points quickly scored. D’Angelo Russell is responsible for responding to him in a meeting where there is hardly any rhythm. As since the start of the season, Los Angeles is already in trouble from the first quarter (34-25).
Things get a little better because there is LeBron James. He imposes his power near the circle or hits from afar. He even came back in the last minute of the first period to bring the Lakers closer, still messy and not very sharp but still in the match (63-55).
Anthony Davis is dominated by Jusuf Nurkic which forces James to give everything. Too many inaccuracies on the Californian side and too much talent on the Kevin Durant side, who makes a series of baskets to give the Suns some breathing space (96-89).
The star will take a breather on the bench at the start of the last act and this is the moment chosen by the Lakers to find skill at 3-points. Cam Reddish especially, but also Rui Hachimura and Christian Wood score winning baskets and Los Angeles goes 11-0. Darvin Ham’s troops have taken control and will not let go, despite the efforts of Kevin Durant. First away victory of the season for the Lakers (119-122).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Cam Reddish, the winning bet in the end. Putting it in the major five didn’t have the desired effect for a while. Then, in the last quarter, in the corners, he hit 3-pointers several times and scored 9 points. He also steals three balls in this game, to finish with 17 points at 5/8 at 3-pts. And as Reaves has been comfortable in his backup role, Darvin Ham will perhaps continue on this path.
– The Suns did not kill the game. For three quarters, Frank Vogel’s players, without being very brilliant, were still above this Californian team still weighed down by its starting and rebounding problems. The Suns grabbed offensive rebounds and scored on second chances. With a little boost, a moment when LeBron James was not there, they could have protected themselves from a bad passage like the first minutes of the last act.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅LeBron James. Fortunately he is there for the Lakers because without him, the minutes are sometimes long. He scared everyone in the first quarter when he was hit in the leg. So much so that ESPN was already releasing the statistics of its matches in a row with more than ten points, which could end this Friday evening… He returned and not to make up the numbers, playing the entire last act: 32 points to 11/17 shooting and 3/4 behind the arc, 11 rebounds and 6 assists.
✅Kevin Durant. Bradley Beal (24 points) had a much better match than for his recovery, but it was Kevin Durant who once again carried the Suns. He is too alone and forces a little here or there, but he is so impressive the rest of the time, especially at the end of the third quarter where he chained together in a few sequences foul baskets and winning shots. The former Thunder player had a great duel with LeBron James, finishing with 38 points on 13/27 shooting, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
