LeBron James missed the first free throw that would have tied the game. Then, saved by a foul with 3.9 seconds remaining, he missed the second. A long-awaited rustle finally calmed a restless Phoenix crowd.
The Lakers squandered a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter and only survived after the Suns’ Devin Booker fouled James on a three-point basket with 3.9 seconds left, pulling away a Victory 116-114 on Sunday.
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Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 29 points and James added 26. Playing without Austin Reaves (calf strain), the Lakers attempted 43 free throws in a tough game that featured five technical fouls and a late ejection.
Dillon Brooks hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 12.2 seconds left to complete the Suns’ comeback, but he was ejected after bumping his chest with James during the celebration. Brooks received a technical foul in the first quarter and James drew a technical foul in the third after a slight perception by Brooks, who slapped a loose ball toward James during a break in the action.
Learn more: Lakers’ Austin Reaves to miss at least one week with calf strain
Brooks had 18 points and missed most of the third quarter after picking up his fifth foul.
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The Lakers finished the third quarter on a 15-0 run, thanks in large part to the flustered plays of Jake LaRavia. The forward, who averaged 6.1 points in the last 10 games, including two scoreless outings, played more than eight minutes in the first half and had nothing to show for it other than two missed shots and a foul. He made just one shot in the third and saw an easy layup roll around the rim and out. But he made an impact on defense with two steals, a block and four rebounds in the third quarter.
His defense led to the offensive highlight of the third as he stole a pass and sent the ball to Jaxson Hayes in transition. The 7-foot center put the ball behind his head on a fierce two-handed dunk over Oso Ighodaro and finished the three-point play from the free throw line.
Learn more: Jarred Vanderbilt hopes for opportunity to help Lakers on defense
Hayes had 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench. After scoring just seven points off the bench in their last loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers got 30 points from their reserves, including seven from Jarred Vanderbilt, who played his first significant minutes in a month.
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Vanderbilt had been relegated to the bench since James’ return, but brought a much-needed defensive boost Sunday as the team hoped to regain its defensive mentality. The forward had seven rebounds in 15 minutes coming off the bench.
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This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.
