For the first time in the 2015-16 National Basketball Association season, the Los Angeles Lakers won three games in a row when the purple and gold beat the Phoenix Suns, 97-77, on Sunday evening at Staples Center.
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The Golden State Warriors are banged up with Stephen Curry having just recently returned from a bruised shin and Harrison Barnes just returning from an ankle injury as well, but they’ve still kept on winning nonetheless.
While the Lakers have the pieces to cover for Russell’s absence, they need him to be back on the court so he can continue to develop as one of the main cogs in the franchise’s rebuilding efforts.
In the second half the Lakers continued to score easily, which is something they haven’t done all season. But despite this loss, they still have a three-game lead over Los Angeles in the race to stay out of the Pacific Division cellar.
Even as the Warriors had Curry hobbling and were missing multiple reserves, the Lakers didn’t stand much of a chance without Kobe Bryant and D’Angelo Russell – two of their top four scorers. Bryant, who is averaging 17.2 points in his final National Basketball Association season, underwent surgery on his right shoulder last season and has dealt with occasional soreness since rising for a rare dunk last month. The Lakers are bound for the lottery and hope they retain their first-round pick, but it’d be nice to look better as they go through the process of reaching that destination.
The Lakers shot just 31.9% from the field and 23.8% from three-point range (five for 21), but did hit 83.3% from the line (25 for 30). His teammates were well aware of the hot hand and made it their mission to feed him the ball.
Bryant missed Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center because of continued soreness in his right shoulder. The 37-year-old Bryant in previous meetings had complimented Thompson, passing the torch to one of the best shooting guards of the younger generation. “I think we were just playing aggressively, and anytime you can get the opposing team back on their heels a little bit, get them jarred, it’s going to be good news for us”.
Ryan Kelly scored 10 points, all well after the game was decided.
Draymond Green’s streak of three straight triple-doubles ended with nine points, 12 rebounds and five assists. He too is playing at an All-Star level while Curry struggles to regain his footing. But Thompson coming out firing with 22 points in the first quarter against the Lakers was a sight to see.
That was the lowest first-half total in Suns history and a Lakers record for fewest points allowed in the first half.
The Lakers fell to a Western Conference-worst 8-28 record. Tristan Thompson added 14 points with 11 rebounds, and Kevin Love scored 14 as Cleveland improved to 15-1 at home.
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– Steve Kerr was expected to travel after the game to join the Warriors in Los Angeles before going along with the team for their next game at Portland, according to interim head coach Luke Walton.
