2023-10-27 07:41:00
The duel between LeBron James and Kevin Durant goes to the King! The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 100:95 thanks to a final spurt in the last quarter.
Los Angeles Lakers (1-1) – Phoenix Suns 100:95 (1-1) (BOXSCORE)
After over 1,775 days, Lebron James and Kevin Durant met again in a competitive game: Durant ended up with 39 points and 11 rebounds, Lebron put up 21 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists. Even in their old age, both stars still know how to put their stamp on a game. The better ending came for the Lakers, who beat the Suns 100:95 at the Staples Center.
Suns vs. Lakers: Weak final quarter ruins Durant’s gala performance
The Suns had to do without Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, and the game got off to a slow start without the two stars. After simple transition points from D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers took a 7-0 lead. After more than two minutes, Josh Okogie hit a three-pointer from the corner and scored the first Phoenix points. Using offensive rebounds and a very strong defense, Phoenix turned up the heat more and more, and an incredibly heavy Durant midranger gave them a 30:18 lead after the first quarter.
As weak as the Lakers came out of the first quarter, they started the second period just as well: The comeback was crowned by an Anthony Davis three-pointer that gave Los Angeles a 36:33 lead. An intense game developed in which Durant fought almost alone against the Lakers with a strong LeBron James and Davis.
After three quarters, Durant had 30 points and led the Suns to an 84-72 lead. But then came the slump: The Suns only managed eleven points in the final period, while LeBron James took over for the Lakers; the 38-year-old scored 10 of his 21 points in the 4th quarter. In the final minute, James broke through the Suns defense twice for two lay-ups, securing LA the win.
The top of the game: Kevin Durant (Suns)
Kevin Durant is aging like a fine wine. Even at 35, the two-time Finals MVP still knows how to carry a team on his shoulders. In the end, the forward had 39 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists. Although there wasn’t much going on from behind the three-point line (1/5 3PT), Durant was difficult to stop within the zone and was particularly efficient from his beloved midrange.
The flop of the game: The Suns in the 4th quarter
The Phoenix Suns entered the fourth quarter with an 84:72 lead. 12 minutes later, Durant and Co. only had eleven more points on their account and lost the last section with a crash of 11:28 and with it the game. “Durant and Co.” However, that’s probably the wrong wording: The superstar scored nine of the eleven points, while the rest of the Phoenix team remained almost entirely pointless.
Lakers vs. Suns: The stats leaders at a glance
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