The Los Angeles Lakers suffered the first defeat of the season following a 109-105 loss against the Phoenix Suns thanks to 63 combined points from Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. LeBron James followed up an excellent 32-point performance with a rather pedestrian 11-point performance against the Suns and that might have made the difference despite 29 points and 15 rebounds from Anthony Davis. In a hotly contested matchup, the Suns got critical stops and key buckets in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to improve to 3-1 on the season. Following tonight’s exciting matchup, here is the grade for every Lakers player.
Anthony Davis: A
Stats: 29 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 3 turnovers, 12-24 FG, 0-2 3-PT FG, 36 mins
Anthony Davis had another dominant performance, marking the fourth straight MVP-level outing, leading the Lakers with 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks on 12-of-24 shooting. He was a force on both ends, contributing defensively with a steal and making critical plays around the rim. Despite the loss, Davis’s strong inside presence kept the Lakers competitive and he was the key cog for the team for the fourth game in a row. Overall, it is very exciting to see the big man play at this level since the start of the year and that bodes well for the Lakers’ record.Â
Austin Reaves: A
Stats: 23 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, 8-15 FG, 5-9 3-PT FG, 38 mins
Austin Reaves delivered a standout game with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals, shooting efficiently at 8-of-15 from the field and 5-of-9 from three. His shooting from beyond the arc helped keep the Lakers within reach, and his hustle on both ends added valuable energy. The Lakers have come to rely on Reaves in the fourth quarter more often than not and the shooting guard has answered the call on more than one occasion.
Rui Hachimura: B+
Stats: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 8-18 FG, 3-3 3-PT FG, 32 mins
Rui Hachimura was solid with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and a block. He shot well from deep (3-of-3 from three) and added a balanced presence on the boards. His consistent scoring and rebounding provided crucial support, but his impact faded slightly in the final stretch when the Lakers could have needed that extra juice when Durant and Booker were getting big buckets.
D’Angelo Russell: B-
Stats: 14 points, 1 rebound, 8 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers, 5-13 FG, 2-9 3-PT FG, 33 mins
D’Angelo Russell’s performance was decent, but he lacked consistency in this close matchup. He contributed on offense but wasn’t able to make a significant difference down the stretch, particularly when the Lakers needed steady playmaking. Still, the fact that Russell led all players with 8 assists gives him a credible score and a performance on which he can build going forward in the season.
LeBron James: C+
Stats: 11 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 2 turnovers, 3-14 FG, 2-5 3-PT FG, 36 mins
LeBron had a quiet night by his standards, scoring just 11 points with 5 rebounds and 8 assists, and struggled with his shot (3-of-14 FG). While he facilitated well, his off-night offensively hindered the Lakers’ ability to close out the Suns. His leadership was still evident, but they needed more scoring from him to secure the win considering The King still has to carry a heavy load offensively. After proving his worth against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, James once again showed Father Time is creeping up on him.
Max Christie: C+
Stats: 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 2 blocks, 2-4 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG, 23 mins
Christie had a modest performance with 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 blocks on 2-of-4 shooting. Though limited in scoring, his defensive contributions were positive. Christie’s efficiency with his limited touches was helpful, but his impact was largely role-based in the minutes he was given. It was a positive to see Christie impact the game defensively for the Lakers off the bench.
Gabe Vincent: C
Stats: 3 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1-3 FG, 1-2 3-PT FG, 20 mins
Vincent scored just 3 points, going 1-of-3 from the field. With no assists or rebounds, Vincent struggled to make a noticeable impact in his 20 minutes on the floor. His shooting needs to improve for him to be a reliable option off the bench, but Lakers fans aren’t expecting much from Vincent considering the evidence.
Jaxson Hayes: C
Stats: 0 points, 4 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3-PT FG, 13 mins
Hayes contributed 4 rebounds but did not attempt a shot in his 13 minutes. His presence on the boards was useful, but he was largely uninvolved on offense, limiting his overall impact in the game.
Dalton Knecht: C
Stats: 0 points, 1 rebound, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0-3 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 11 mins
Knecht went scoreless, missing all three of his shot attempts, though he grabbed a single rebound in 11 minutes. His limited role and shooting struggles hurt his ability to impact the game, and he’ll look to bounce back with more efficient play in the future.
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