On Friday night in the NBA In-Season Tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 122-119, led by LeBron James’s 32 points and D’Angelo Russell’s 19 points. This victory allowed the Lakers to end a three-game losing streak. 

On Friday night in the NBA In-Season Tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 122-119, led by LeBron James’s 32 points and D’Angelo Russell’s 19 points. This victory allowed the Lakers to end a three-game losing streak.

James had an outstanding performance, once again defying age in his 21st season. He shot 11 of 17 from the field, including 3 of 4 on 3-pointers, and had a perfect shooting percentage overall. In the 36 minutes he played, he tallied 11 rebounds and six assists.

Kevin Durant had 38 points to lead the Suns, and Bradley Beal added 24 of his own, including 20 in the first half. Due to a tightness in his right calf, Devin Booker sat out for the fourth consecutive game.

The Lakers took their first lead of the third quarter with a basket by Austin Reaves with 9 minutes and 25 seconds left on the clock. The score was 97-96 at that point. During the fourth quarter, Reaves contributed by scoring a few of jump shots from mid-range, which assisted Los Angeles in maintaining their lead.

Cam Reddish finished with 17 points, including a three-pointer in the corner off of a feed from LeBron James that put the Lakers up 118-113 with one minute and ten seconds left to play. Before Reddish took his shot, Los Angeles grabbed three offensive rebounds from the position that he was in.James got up hobbling and grabbed at his lower left leg after getting fouled in the first quarter of the game. After receiving some medical attention on the bench, the veteran player, who is now 38 years old, came back out for the beginning of the second quarter.

He appeared to be in good shape for the remainder of the game and contributed to the Lakers’ successful comeback attempt.

During the third quarter, when the Suns were clinging to a one-point lead, Durant scored 15 points for his team. Reddish made a 3-point shot at the buzzer, cutting the Phoenix lead to 96-89 as the game moved into the fourth quarter.

Anthony Davis of Los Angeles recorded 18 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists after returning from a one-game absence due to a hip ailment.

Beal, who was making his home debut with the Suns, scored a basket in traffic at the buzzer to give the Suns a 63-55 lead at the halftime break after the Suns had led by as many as 14 points. During the first half, James had 19 points.