The Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Golden State Warriors on Friday. Luke Walton’s squad was on their game from start to finish resulting in a 20-point win over his former team.
Although the win over the Warriors was a step forward for the Lakers, Larry Nance Jr. believes it will be the game after that tests the team’s maturity, via Mark Medina of OC Register:
“If we take them anything less than 100 percent serious, it’s going to be a bad night for us,” Nance said. “This is a big test for our maturity.”
On Sunday night, the Lakers will try to put it together after the emotional high of beating the Warriors against the visiting Phoenix Suns. If Los Angeles can come out with a win, it will be their third in a row putting them a game over .500.
Unlike like the Atlanta Hawks and Warriors, the Suns aren’t considered to be a playoff contender. Devin Booker and company have already started to struggle this season coming into this game with a 2-4 record with only one of their wins coming on the road.
Despite the Suns’ record, Phoenix has won two straight coming into Sunday’s Pacific Division showdown in Los Angeles. The Suns lost four in a row to start the season with losses to the Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder, Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers before they were able to get the best of Damian Lillard’s Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.
Phoenix followed up the surprising win over the Blazers with an overtime victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Booker scored a career-high 38 points and hit the game-winner in overtime with time expiring to seal the deal.
Both the Lakers and Suns will be looking to make it three straight wins with both teams coming off emotional victories. Los Angeles appears to be the better team at this point, but they’ll be put to the test on Sunday regardless.
