PHOENIX _ The Lakers followed their first loss of the season with a seven-game winning streak.
They followed their second loss of the season by beating the Phoenix Suns, 123-115.
With a raucous crowd chanting for defense, LeBron James stepped back to hit a 3-pointer that gave the Lakers a 114-113 lead with 3:12 left. One possession later, Kyle Kuzma hit another 3-pointer to extend the lead to four. And as the Suns kept missing, the Lakers kept scoring, securing their best 10-game start since the 2010-11 season.
The Lakers are now 8-2 and in sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division.
Phoenix shot better than 50% from 3-point range for two-and-a-half quarters, and better than 50% overall through three quarters. The Lakers, meanwhile, made an astounding 58.6% of their shots through three quarters, though they were less successful from 3-point range.
Until the fourth quarter, the Lakers never held a lead larger than four.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 24 points, 12 rebounds and four assists while James added 19 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Kuzma scored a season high 23 points.
The Suns received balanced contributions, with Aron Baynes (20), Devin Booker (21) and Ricky Rubio (21) all scoring at least 20 points.
Few preseason prognosticators chose the Suns to be very competitive in a star-studded Western Conference, but on Tuesday night the Suns showed why those early expectations were wrong. They just couldn't stay with the Lakers as the game closed.
