The Los Angeles Lakers are no longer undefeated thanks to the 109-105 loss the Phoenix Suns handed them on Monday night, but that doesn’t mean that positives couldn’t be extracted from the game.
Lakers found offense from starters despite LeBron James’ struggles vs. Suns
The biggest positive, clear to the naked eye, is the depth that the Lakers boast. Lakers superstar LeBron James was far and away their most disappointing performer on the affair, going a bizarre 3-14 from the field for 11 points against Phoenix. While James had a rare down game, his teammates played the way he’ll need them to when he’s back to playing like himself.
Fellow Lakers superstar Anthony Davis continued to look like a true league MVP, with 29 points on 50 percent shooting from the field to go along with 15 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. That’s expected from Davis, though. What’s not always guaranteed is a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double from Rui Hachimura, but the way he’s been playing to start the 2024-25 campaign, that may not be the case much longer. Hachimura has been the brightest spot on Los Angeles’ roster outside of their two-headed monster, and he added to that by going a perfect 3-3 from three-point range while also recording a steal and a block.
As for Austin Reaves, he showed once again that he’s that guy, with 23 points and eight rebounds on 53.3 percent shooting from the floor and 55.6 percent connection from trey. That is especially telling, given that he and D’Angelo Russell are the next men up when either James or Davis struggles. Reaves, like Hachimura, looks like he can take yet another step in his career and even garner some consideration for Most Improved Player of the Year.
Lakers bench could use a spark that’s on its way
The Lakers did not get much from their bench, particularly from veteran point guard Gabe Vincent or rookie sharpshooter Dalton Knecht. Nevertheless, the way in which all five of their starters can score reliably gives hope to the franchise in that, when the stakes get higher as the year progresses, they’ll have many contributors that can rise to the occasion.
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The Suns did manage to come away with the win despite the Lakers collectively holding them to 30.6 percent shooting from deep and keeping the rebounding margin nonexistent. No matter, L.A. looks like a team that can only get better with time and one that’ll get a major offensive boost from their bench once talented big man Christian Wood returns from his left knee injury. Their second unit could use a big-time Sixth Man of the Year type of scorer, which Wood is, but outside of that, Los Angeles has little to hang their head on approaching their fifth game of the season, so long as they make necessary adjustments as needed.