The Los Angeles Lakers will not participate in the postseason this season. Head coach Frank Vogel’s team lost 110-121 in Phoenix, while the San Antonio Spurs surprisingly won against the Denver Nuggets at the same time.
Phoenix Suns (63-16) – Los Angeles Lakers (31-48) 121:110 (BOXSCORE)
With three games left, the Lakers are three games behind the Spurs, but cannot catch up due to the tiebreaker. Although both teams won two games each in a direct duel, the next criterion, victories against teams from the Western Conference, speaks clearly for the Texans (24:16).
Without LeBron James (ankle), the Lakers kept up well with the best team in the league for at least one half (58:63) because Russell Westbrook (28, 10/20 FG, 5 rebounds, 6 TO) and Anthony Davis (21, 10/18 FG, 13 rebounds) did their best to fight the defeat, but in the end they too went down with the team.
After the break it was finally over. Phoenix got serious and had a blast doing it, with Devin Booker leading the way. The shooting guard recorded 16 of his 32 points (12/22 FG, 6/9 threes) in that period, including 11 points in just two minutes of consecutive threes. The Lakers, on the other hand, made five ball losses, some of which were costly, from which Phoenix scored 9 points.
The lead quickly grew from 5 to 24 points, the Suns won the third quarter 35-22, and it was clear early on that the next three Lakers games would be meaningless. The Suns, on the other hand, still worked a little magic, especially Deandre Ayton (22, 10/14, 13 rebounds) was repeatedly served with lobs.
Two years after title: Lakers miss the playoffs
Phoenix set a new franchise record with their 63rd win of the season, beating the 1993 and 2005 marks. Although Chris Paul only scored 6 points, he also played 12 assists. Instead, Phoenix again impressed with homogeneity, even before the garbage time all players (10) used until then had scored at least two field goals. Cam Payne also played 11 assists.
The Lakers reduced the goal to -13 three minutes from time, but the Suns immediately smothered a possible comeback when Cameron Johnson scored from downtown with the clock running down.
The Lakers are missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019, less than two years ago LeBron James and Co. had won the championship in the Orlando bubble. Last year it was the end of the first round when the Suns beat the reigning champion 4-2.
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