PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns (31-36) are taking to the road once again for a singular game against the Los Angeles Lakers (40-25) on Sunday afternoon.
The Suns are coming off of a statement victory over the Sacramento Kings, while L.A. lost. tightly contested battle against the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
Phoenix is currently in pursuit of the Dallas Mavericks for the final spot in the 2025 play-in tournament - they need a victory today to continue the push for their playoff lives.
A brief preview of the contest ahead:
The Lakers are going to be without LeBron James - along with starting C Jaxson Hayes and possibly Dorian Finney-Smith.
L.A. should be receiving a substantial reinforcement despite the absence of James - as Luka Doncic is expected to return after missing the previous game.
The Suns could be closer to full-strength - as Grayson Allen and Nick Richards have been seen as day-to-day after missing the last two games.
Austin Reaves has taken another step forward this season and could be the solution for Los Angeles today, as the dynamic guard put forth an eye-popping 37-point, 13 assist performance against Denver in the aforementioned loss on Friday.
Former Suns G Jordan Goodwin has also played meaningful minutes in March - don't count out this Lakers squad, as much of the current roster is quite motivated to earn minutes as the playoffs quickly approach.
Knecht joined Reaves on Friday as another 30-point scorer for the Lakers in the loss.
The rookie wing has averaged 16.1 PPG in March on 42.1% from behind the arc - which is even more impressive considering the University of Tennessee product was nearly moved to the Charlotte Hornets last month.
Knecht hasn't appeared to be rattled by the near-trade, and has appeared to have gained some footing as a pro after struggling in December and February.
Expect Knecht to be a potential difference maker today between dynamic spot-up shooting, connective passing, and his ability to make timely shots.
The Doncic/Reaves backcourt is certainly a point of concern for a Suns defense that has performed near the bottom of the league in the majority of metrics for multiple months at this point - Phoenix will be able to overcome this disadvantage behind an offense that finally looks to be consistently clicking.
The offensive output that was seen against the Houston Rockets feels like an aberration in recent weeks. This offense has been among the best in basketball since February 25, and there's no reason to believe that won't continue today.
Suns-Lakers is set to tip-off shortly after 12:20 P.M. Arizona time this afternoon.