The Los Angeles Lakers were hardly sharp in a return from a five-game road trip but hit their stride in the second half to pull away from the Phoenix Suns for a 112-93 victory. The win was the Lakers third in a row and seventh straight at Staples Center.
Brandon Ingram led the Lakers with 26 points, scoring 12 of those in the third quarter. Two came on an electrifying dunk that was part of a 16-5 run that helped the Lakers stretch their lead to nine points — the largest it was up to that point.
Still handling point guard duties as Lonzo Ball remains sidelined by an MCL sprain, Ingram added four rebounds and five assists to his big scoring night.
While it was Ingram who helped the Lakers take control of the game in the second half, Julius Randle bullied Dragan Bender at the outset to make his first four baskets. Randle was second on the team with 21 points, which was accompanied with eight rebounds and five assists.
Like Randle, Brook Lopez got off to a strong start, connecting on three of his first four attempts from 3-point territory. Lopez shot 4-for-6 overall from deep, contributing 12 points on the night, marking a third consecutive game in which he reached double-figures.
Kyle Kuzma led Lakers bench players with 16 points on 6-for-15 shooting. His effectiveness on the offensive end was a welcomed sight for the team as he’s been mired in a slump since January. Josh Hart notched yet another double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds in his third consecutive start.
Josh Jackson and TJ Warrern shouldered the bulk of the scoring for Phoenix, combining for 40 points. Marquese Chriss had 10 points off the bench and was the only other Suns player to score in double-digits.
Although neither has been a particular strength for the Lakers, they shot 11-for-26 from 3-point territory and made 23-of-26 attempts at the free throw line.
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