Phoenix Suns (5-9) v Los Angeles Lakers (5-8)
Wednesday 11/13/2017 7:00pm
Talking Sick Resort Arena, Phoenix, AZ
Arizona Sports 98.7FM/Fox Sports Arizona
2017-18 – Lakers lead 1-0
All-Time Series – Lakers lead 137-105
Last Matchup – Lakers won 132-130
Suns’ Last Game – Win over Minnesota Timberwolves 118-110
Lakers’ Last Game – Loss to Milwaukee Bucks 90-98
2017-18 Suns’ Scoring Averages – PTS/G: 107.0 (14th of 30) Opp PTS/G: 116.2 (30th of 30)
2017-18 Lakers’ Scoring Averages – PTS/G: 103.5 (20th of 30) Opp PTS/G: 106.8 (18th of 30)
In part two of the 2018-17 Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers epic battle of now 50 years, the Suns look to avenge their second game of the season loss, the only close game the team played in under former Head Coach Earl Watson’s final three games.
The Lakers took that battle 132-130, the highest total scoring affair for the Suns so far this season, on the back of rookie Lonzo Ball, who came only one assist short of a triple-double, which would have been the youngest triple-double in league history. Of course Lonzo would get his first triple-double two nights ago at the Milwaukee Bucks, in a loss.
Phoenix is coming off of their first win in ten days, a victory over the much more talented Minnesota Timberwolves (on paper), and will be playing in their fourth game of a six-game home stand. The Suns were led by the team’s two highest scoring players, Devin Booker and T.J. Warren, who each scored a game-high 35 points.
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix closed out the Timberwolves late, however, on the back of one late 3-pointer each by Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender. The two finished off a decent shooting night by the team with five combined 3’s themselves (Devin Booker had five on his own), a hopeful sign of continued outside shooting improvement for a team that is in desperate need of a third, consistent scoring option.
The team’s formula for winning, however, was of efficient scoring by both Booker and Warren. They not only scored, but did so with a 63.6% shooting percentage. While the team desperately needs a third (and hopefully fourth) consistent scorer to take even more pressure off of Booker and Warren, they proved that even against one of the better teams in the league, they can be enough to pull off a victory, if the other scorers are at least hitting shots in the clutch, and the team’s defense is well played.
Tonight against the Lakers, fans hope for a different result than the one that occurred in mid-October. Phoenix has not only found new life under interim Head Coach Jay Triano, but their defense has taken a significant step forward. While there is no guarantee that the Suns will be able to hold Lonzo Ball from a second triple-double in as many games, the original defensive assignment fell on Eric Bledsoe who, arguably, had already checked out and was not mentally prepared to stop the rookie point guard.
Phoenix should look to actively attack Lonzo on offense as he is not a stellar defender himself, which should allow Tyler Ulis (who will presumably start as he did against Minnesota) to dish out to open (and hopefully hot) 3-point shooters, including Booker, Chriss, and Bender.
Three Interesting Stats
Phoenix Suns
1. While their opponents points allowed has been much improved under Jay Triano as compared to Earl Watson in their first three games, the Suns are still allowing 116.2 points per game on the season, which would be the most ever allowed in a season by the franchise since their second ever, back in 1969-70 when they allowed 121.1 points per game, the franchise high.
2. While this is a new year and the Lakers currently lead the season head-to-head match up, the Lakers too have been very bad over these past few years, something the Suns have been able to take advantage of. Phoenix has not lost a season series to the Lakers since the 2010-11 season when L.A. won 3-1. Since the following year, the Suns lead the series 16-9.
3. Following his 35 point game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Devin Booker is sitting on a new career-high scoring average of 22.3 points per game, up .2 over last season. Just for fun, for Booker to take the season scoring lead over Giannis Antetokounmpo with his league-high of 31.7 points per game, Booker would have to score 164 points to night to the Lakers.
Next: The Phoenix Suns found a winning formula against the Wolves. But can it be repeated?
Los Angeles Lakers
1. While Lonzo Ball achieved his first career triple-double on Saturday at the Milwaukee Bucks, he had been relatively close on several other occasions, including against the Suns on October 20. Ball had come to within at least two points, rebounds, or assists of a triple-double on three other occasions.
2. Ball is an absolutely horrific shooter, at the moment, draining only 35.9% 2-point shots, 25.0% from 3-point range, for a 31.4% field goal percentage. With a surprisingly disastrous 50.0% free throw percentage, Ball is averaging a weak 36.5% eFG%.
3. With no help from Lonzo, the Lakers are last in the NBA with a 28.9% 3-point percentage. Although Brook Lopez is shooting a more than surprising 35.8% 1.5-4.1 from beyond the arc himself, if Phoenix can get the Lakers to stretch out and shoot from the outside (and prevent L.A. from offensive rebounds), they will stand a solid shot of pulling off the win, the team’s third two-game winning streak this season.