The Los Angeles Lakers already faced an uphill climb after Anthony Davis was officially ruled out for Game 5, but the team did itself no favors as the Phoenix Suns steamrolled L.A.
The Lakers started the game on a positive note after Markieff Morris, who started in Davis’ place, drilled a three for the game’s first basket.
Los Angeles had a 10-5 lead early in the first — then everything changed.
Phoenix went on a 14-0 run to take a 19-14 lead, and though the Lakers fought back to make it 34-26 at the end of one, its sluggish play was a sign of what lay ahead.
The Suns went on a 21-2 run to open the second quarter, with Devin Booker at the helm of a nuclear performance. He simply couldn’t miss from wherever he shot.
It was the complete opposite for L.A. Phoenix packed the paint and dared Los Angeles to shoot — it worked.
Los Angeles trailed by 30 points at halftime, and a second-half comeback was essentially impossible. Phoenix won, 115-85.
Here are three takeaways from the Lakers’ loss:
