Lakers Lose to Suns as Role Players Shine
The Lakers came out with what looked like the right tone. Physical. Intentional. Ready to match a Suns team that thrives on contact. However, that energy did not last long. Phoenix ran away with a 132–108 win in the desert, exposing a Lakers group that never found consistency on either end.
Los Angeles entered the night as the second-best team in field goal percentage in the league. Still, none of that mattered. The Suns dictated the pace, won the fast break battle, and turned defensive pressure into easy offense. As a result, this turned into an ugly loss, the kind that forces uncomfortable questions.
Suns Role Players Fuel Lakers’ Loss
There is always one random role player who seems to come alive against the Lakers. Royce O’Neale has done it before. Collin Gillespie would have been an easy answer tonight after posting 16 points, eight assists, three steals, and shooting 60 percent from the field. Undrafted in the 2022 class, Gillespie continues to look like an up-and-coming guard who knows how to impact winning.
But this night belonged to Jamaree Bouyea.
The USF graduate, also undrafted in 2022, put on a show. Bouyea’s burst and twitchiness were kryptonite for Lakers defenders. Small guards who can turn the corner and get downhill have been a recurring problem for this team. Bouyea took full advantage. He scored 14 points on 7 of 10 shooting and consistently beat defenders to the rim. In turn, he forced rotations that never fully recovered.
Dillon Brooks was right at home, too. He loves these moments. He loves the physicality. More importantly, he loves going at LeBron James. Brooks came in ready and walked out victorious, setting the tone early and feeding off the matchup the way he always does.
The Suns are a physical team, and you could tell the Lakers tried to match that intensity on both ends. Ultimately, Phoenix sustained it longer and cleaner.
Short Handed Lakers Struggle Without Luka Dončić
Phoenix forces the most turnovers in the NBA, and the Lakers walked straight into that strength. Without two of their main facilitators in Luka Dončić and with Austin Reaves ramping up from a calf strain, LeBron James and Marcus Smart carried a heavy burden. They handled most of the creation and organization. Meanwhile, Reaves saw limited minutes, and the offense often felt out of sync when he left the floor.
JJ Redick countered the lack of bench production and Luka’s absence by staggering LeBron and Reaves. That adjustment ensured some level of shot creation at all times. Nick Smith Jr. stepped into important minutes early. Jake LaRavia also logged big minutes. He hustled, played smart defense, and kept his hands straight up. In doing so, he showed exactly why the Lakers signed him this offseason.
Still, none of it was enough.
The Lakers never sustained intensity. They never found rhythm. Luka, even in a slump, was missed dearly as he sat out with a left lower leg contusion. Clearly, this team remains a few pieces away from what it expected to be. Nights like this make you wonder when Rob Pelinka gets on the phones to discuss trades.
Now, the Lakers turn their attention to Christmas Day against Houston. The Rockets are a tough team. The stage will be big. Hopefully, Luka Dončić returns. Los Angeles sits as the fourth seed, but performances like this leave little margin for error. If there was ever a time to remind the league who they are supposed to be, the holiday spotlight would be the perfect place to start.
