Suns Showcase Dominance Over Lakers in 132-108 Victory
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns delivered a commanding performance against the Los Angeles Lakers, showcasing the potential of Jordan Ott’s squad in a 132-108 rout. This game marked not only their highest scoring output of the season in regulation but also served as a testament to their growing cohesiveness as a team.
Team Effort Fuels Success
From the outset, the Suns moved the ball effectively, demonstrating a fluidity that has been a hallmark of their aspirations this season. Coach Ott noted, “Definitely a great night for that, felt it early. Book’s (Devin Booker) ability to create a close out just by his presence on the floor, he was able to get into the paint, he lived in close outs. That is what we want to do, create an advantage, put them in close outs. That leads to 35 assists.”
Devin Booker, who was instrumental in this victory, notched his fifth double-double of the year, contributing 21 points alongside 11 assists. His play was a key factor in the Suns’ offensive onslaught, as he orchestrated the attack with precision.
Room for Improvement
Despite the impressive win, Booker remained grounded, emphasizing the need for ongoing improvement. “We always have room to grow. It’s a first-year team together. We’ve been in a lot of dog fights this year. We’ve come back from down 20 and we’ve given up 20-point leads. That’s our motto, get better every day,” he remarked, as the Suns improved to 16-13 on the season.
His reflections on the team’s journey were poignant, recalling their tough start when they began the season 1-4. “We were still coming in with the mindset to get better. Then we ran off a few games, and we’ve been in every other game since then. So now we’ve got to string some together. We’re about to hit the road. It’s going to be just us, and we’re looking forward to it,” Booker added, hinting at the challenges ahead.
Learning from Past Encounters
Suns center Mark Williams echoed the sentiment of growth and learning from previous encounters, particularly the last game against the Lakers, which ended in a narrow defeat for Phoenix. “I think we learned a lot from that last game. We got out-rebounded. They won the possession game. That’s usually stuff we try to pride ourselves on and do well,” Williams observed post-game.
He emphasized the focus on returning to their core strengths during this matchup: “So, I think tonight we really focused on that. Got back to what we do—playing fast, playing hard, playing in transition, took care of the ball, and I think the results took care of themselves. We forced them into a lot more turnovers. Just do what we do.”
As the Suns gear up for a challenging four-game road trip, they carry with them the momentum of this victory and the lessons learned from both past games and this latest triumph. With their sights set on continuous improvement, the Suns are poised to face their upcoming challenges head-on.
