After six years of coming back from the desert with nothing but losses, it took an all-around effort from the Lakers’ entire young core to capture their first win in Phoenix since January 2011.
D’Angelo Russell set the tone with 28 points as the Lakers — who had lost 11 straight in Arizona — avenged last month’s 36-point loss to the Suns by unleashing a monster offensive effort in their 122-110 win on Thursday night.
“They whupped us pretty bad before the All-Star break,” said Jordan Clarkson, who had 19 points. “So we came in here really wanting to get this win.”
Russell kept firing from deep to reach his third-highest scoring output of the season, knocking down half of his team’s 12 3-pointers.
Meanwhile, he was mistake-free with his decision-making, finishing the night with zero turnovers.
“I just tried to come into the game with a different mentality,” Russell said. “Play at my pace and limit turnovers throughout the game — that was my focus.”
Luke Walton enjoyed Russell’s scoring, but felt that it all began on the other side of the floor. According to the head coach, Russell’s involvement in team defense helped spark the big night.
“He started the game by doing that on the defensive end,” Walton said. “I think it led to the type of game that he had. He definitely was the leader of the group out there tonight.”
Russell’s teammates also noticed the way that he took charge. Instead of waiting for someone else to be vocal on the court, as he admitted to usually doing, Russell was the one to provide the voice of leadership.
“He was the head of the snake tonight,” Brandon Ingram said. “I think he led everything tonight: getting us in our sets on the defensive end, telling us to lock in.”
And Russell certainly wasn’t alone on a night when Suns coach Earl Watson said the Lakers were “the toughest team on the court from beginning to end.”
Ingram, in particular, was aggressive in the paint, scoring 14 points while also notching six rebounds. Ingram — who said that earlier in the season he didn’t realize the extent of his length — was most impressive throwing down a one-handed slam over 7-footer Alex Len.
That jam certainly caught the attention of teammate and dunk aficionado Larry Nance Jr.
“His arm just kept on going up there,” said Nance, who had 13 points and eight rebounds. “It was impressive. He took that one from my book.”
The throwdown was part of an enormous third quarter for the Lakers (20-45), who entered halftime down by four. However, Russell led them out on a 21-8 run to seize an 82-71 advantage to begin the second half.
Los Angeles led by as many as 21 points before the Suns (21-44) finally made their comeback attempt with time running out. They used a 15-1 run to cut their deficit to seven within the final minute before Russell iced the game by draining a straightaway 3-pointer, ending the Lakers’ eight game losing streak.
It was a needed win for L.A., which hadn’t won since before the All-Star break. It also came against a surging Suns squad that had won three of its previous four games and was led by 23 points from Devin Booker.
