Lakers can't find their groove throughout the game and lose in game 1 to the Suns 90-99.
Notes:
- LeBron James had 18 points on 6-13 shooting and 3-7 from 3. He added 10 assists and 7 rebounds.
- Anthony Davis had 13 points on 5-16 shooting and added 7 rebounds and 3 blocks.
- Dennis Schröder had 14 points on 5-7 shooting with 3 assists, 2 steals, and 4 turnovers.
- Andre Drummond had 12 points on 5-7 shooting and had 9 rebounds, including 7 offensive rebounds.
- Alex Caruso added 10 points on 4-9 shooting.
- Montrezl Harrell with 12 points, shooting 4-5 and going 4-5 from the line.
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 7 points, shooting 1-7 from 3.
- Points in the paint favored the Suns 44-52 and fastbreak points were 9-16 for the Suns.
- Lakers were 17-28 from the line, to 10-12 by the Suns.
- Turnovers end up 14 for each team, under the Lakers average and above the Suns season average.
- 1st Quarter: Knotted at 15 early in the game. Hot shooting from both teams with both over 50% shooting overall and at 50% from 3. 8 early points from LeBron including 2 3 pointers. Suns go on a 13-2 run and open a 17-23 lead. Quarter closes with the Lakers trailing 25-32. Lakers have dipped to 48% shooting overall and 33% from 3, while the Suns are 58% and 44%. Phoenix up 10-0 in fast break points.
- 2nd Quarter: Suns hold a 35-44 lead halfway through the 2nd quarter. Lakers made a run to cut the lead down, but the Suns rebuilt the lead. Lakers at 30% shooting for the quarter. Suns lead 45-53 at the half. Suns getting the easier offense, with a 5-16 lead in fastbreak points, 20-34 lead in points in the paint, and lead in assists 8-15.
- 3rd Quarter: Phoenix lead swells to 53-67, but KCP sinks a 3 to cut it back to 11. Lakers with 4 turnovers in the quarter. Dennis Schröder gets to the basket and cuts the lead to 64-71 after it had grown to 15. Suns make another push and close the quarter up 68-81. Lakers shoot better than the Suns, 45% to 40%, but Lakers are -5 in the quarter.
- 4th Quarter: After the lead gets to 16 in the early stages of the quarter, Lakers work it down to 83-92. Lakers have shifted to AD at the 5. Suns get the lead back to double digits and hold on through the final minutes. Lakers lose 90-99.
- Starters: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Dennis Schröder.
Regular season meetings:
Lakers won 123-110 on 5/9/21 - Game Coverage
Lakers lost 94 -111 on 3/21/21 - Game Coverage
Lakers lost 104-114 on 3/2/21 - Game Coverage