Lakers Drop Fourth Preseason Game to Suns

October 12, 2021 Sports

Through four preseason games, we still haven’t seen L.A.’s regular rotation that will start the Oct. 19 regular season opener, but that could change on Tuesday, when LeBron James is expected to start.

With LeBron sitting on Sunday, the Lakers fell to Phoenix for the second time this preseason, losing 123-94 due largely to a 37-20 third quarter margin.

Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook shared an NBA court for the first time as teammates, with Malik Monk (strained groin) and Talen Horton-Tucker (sprained finger) joining LeBron in street clothes. Davis played 28 minutes towards 19 points on 5 of 12 shooting, plus 8 of 11 at the free throw line, to go with six assists, three boards, three steals and one block. Westbrook hit a pair of threes, but otherwise struggled from the floor, going 3 for 12 towards eight points with his five assists and two rebounds. He amassed nine turnovers, in a category that plagued the Lakers all night, with a margin of 23-20 favoring the visitors.