Rookie head coach JJ Redick and the Los Angeles Lakers ended their four-game losing streak by winning 107-96 on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena. LA was led by five-time First-Team All-NBA member Luka Doncic who contributed 33 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists.
The Lakers were missing several key rotational members throughout their four-game losing streak. However, help arrived at home against Phoenix as Jaxson Hayes, Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent, and Doncic all returned after missing Friday's loss to the Denver Nuggets. LeBron James (left groin strain) and Rui Hachimura (left patellar tendinopathy) are both considered day-to-day moving forward.
Redick had high praise for his team's ability to bounce back after the winless road trip.
"To transition from one thing to the next coming off of four losses, I thought our team was phenomenal," said Redick.
JJ Redick on the Lakers' bounce-back win: "To transition from one thing to the next coming off of four losses, I thought our team was phenomenal." #Lakeshow
— LoJo Media (@LoJoMedia) March 16, 2025
Doncic continued his "phenomenal" streak against his 2022 Western Conference Semifinals opponent by adding his seventh straight 30-point game against the Suns. In his last eight games with the Lakers, Doncic is averaging 32.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game (via StatMuse).
Los Angeles, who currently lies at the fifth seed in the Western Conference, now sits just one game back of the second seed. The Lakers sit under a three-way tie for second including Denver, the Houston Rockets, and the Memphis Grizzlies. LA will match up Monday with the San Antonio Spurs, who are without superstars Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, in the fourth game of the stretch of six games in eight days.
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This story was originally published March 16, 2025 at 6:30 PM.