Lakers @ Suns Preview

The Los Angeles Lakers head to Phoenix tonight to take on the Suns, both teams returning to regular-season action after concluding their NBA Cup runs.

NBA Cup Runs

Both the Lakers and Suns advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2025 NBA Cup, but each saw their run come to an end. Los Angeles fell to the Spurs, while Phoenix was eliminated by the Thunder. The NBA Cup semifinals took place last night, where San Antonio snapped Oklahoma City’s winning streak and advanced to the championship game against the New York Knicks.

Los Angeles struggled mightily against a Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs team. After losing their final lead late in the first quarter, the Lakers appeared outmatched for most of the game. Outside of Marcus Smart’s 26-point performance, the Lakers’ bench was largely ineffective, combining for just 31 points. That level of production simply won’t cut it if the Lakers expect to be legitimate contenders moving forward.

While the Lakers’ loss was disappointing, it still paled in comparison to Phoenix’s showing against the Thunder. The Suns were thoroughly dominated, suffering a 49-point loss to the best team in the league. Although Devin Booker was unavailable, the performance raised serious concerns about Phoenix’s depth and overall readiness.

Lakers Suns Rematch

These two teams met just a couple of weeks ago, with the Suns coming away with the victory. However, with LeBron James continuing to find his rhythm after returning to action, the Lakers will be looking to flip the script tonight and show they are trending in the right direction.

With the NBA Cup behind them, tonight presents the Lakers with a chance to respond. A strong showing in Phoenix would help Los Angeles regain momentum and set a positive tone moving forward.