NBA: Suns, Lakers square off for third time this month

Western Conference rivals meet for the third time this month when the Phoenix Suns host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

The teams split their first two matchups, with Phoenix earning a 125–108 win in Los Angeles on Dec. 1 before the Lakers edged the Suns 116–114 in Phoenix on Dec. 14. In the first meeting, Phoenix overcame a dominant performance from Luka Doncic, who finished with 38 points and 11 rebounds, by forcing 22 Lakers turnovers. Turnovers again played a key role in the rematch, though this time the Suns committed 20 of their own in the narrow loss.

Turnover margin has been a defining theme for Phoenix through an uneven first two months of the season. The Suns rank second in the NBA in takeaways at 16.8 per game, with seven players who have appeared in at least 18 games averaging at least one steal. Their 11.1 steals per game lead the league. However, Phoenix is also committing 15.2 turnovers per game, the sixth-highest mark in the NBA.

Limiting giveaways will be critical on Tuesday, especially as Phoenix looks to push the tempo against a veteran Lakers squad.

“Play with pace. They’re an older team,” Suns guard Collin Gillespie told the Arizona Republic. “We’ve got to get up and down.”

For Los Angeles, the game marks the finale of a four-game road trip that began in Phoenix. The Lakers are playing their seventh road game in eight contests, with their only interruption coming at a neutral-site matchup against San Antonio in Las Vegas during the NBA Cup quarterfinals.

The Lakers are 4–3 over that stretch but are coming off a 103–88 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. The 88 points were a season low, marking just the second time this season the Lakers failed to reach 100 points.

The defeat was compounded by the loss of Doncic, who exited midway through the game after sustaining a left leg contusion following a collision with Bogdan Bogdanovic. Lakers coach JJ Redick said Monday that Doncic is considered day-to-day.

“No matter what the circumstance is, it’s still next man up,” LeBron James said. “We’re all professionals. We all got to stay ready. So, obviously, very challenging circumstances for our ballclub.”

James scored a season-high 36 points against the Clippers while carrying the offensive load with leading scorers Doncic, who leads the league at 34.1 points per game, and Austin Reaves, who averages 27.8 points, sidelined. Reaves remains out with a calf injury.

Los Angeles has also recently dealt with injuries to Gabe Vincent (back), Rui Hachimura (groin), and former Sun Deandre Ayton, who is sidelined with an elbow injury.

Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and a key piece of Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals, delivered 20 points on 10-of-11 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Dec. 14 meeting. He has not played since.

Ayton’s history with Phoenix has added intrigue to recent matchups, as have the heated on-court exchanges between him and Suns star Devin Booker, who leads Phoenix at 25.6 points per game. Booker has also developed a long-standing rivalry with Doncic dating back to his time in Dallas, with Doncic’s move to the Lakers last season further intensifying the Phoenix–Los Angeles rivalry. -Field Level Media/Reuters