LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers ended their four-game losing streak Sunday with a 107-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
It was only part of the good news for the Lakers faithful.
Luka Doncic led the way with 33 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists after missing the team’s previous game while resting a sprained right ankle. Improving health were at the operative words at Crypo.com Arena.
LeBron James watched the game in street clothes while missing his fourth consecutive game with a groin injury. But when asked about James’ condition, Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game, “We’re ramping up. It’s day to day.’’
The Lakers appeared to be ramping up against the talented but struggling Suns.
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Before James suffered the injury, the Lakers had won eight straight and 20 of 24 games. But during the four-game slide, with the playoffs about a month away, the Lakers slid from the No. 2 seed to the No. 5 seed.
With his team getting healthier, Redick said he’d like for the Lakers get back to playing “a high level defensively.’’
“I think it starts there,’’ Redick said during a pregame session with the media.” I do believe we need to be whole for that to happen. Just the nature of our roster, it works when everybody’s out there and I think that’s one thing.
“I think the health is another thing, but our identity that we’ve built and that I believe will continue into late March and early April and through the end of the regular season is an identity built on toughness and playing hard and our defense, and again, when we’re whole we have a lot more optionality to play different ways offensively, so all that stuff goes together.’’
While James and injured starting forward Rui Hachimura watched from the bench, center Jaxson Hayes returned to the starting lineup after missing four games with a knee contusion. He had an immediate impact. Hayes scored eight points in the first quarter, during which the Lakers led by as many as 20 points. Hayes finished with 19 points and six rebounds.
Doncic, who missed the Lakers’ 131-126 loss at Denver on Friday, prompted cheers simply taking the court for pregame warmups to his signature Slovenkian music. They grew only louder when the game began.
Doncic had 17 points, six assists and four rebounds at halftime and the Lakers led 54-37 at the intermission.
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