The Los Angeles Lakers looked every bit like a team on the second night of a back-to-back-and the Phoenix Suns made them pay for it. Despite losing Devin Booker to a groin injury, the Suns came out firing and never looked back, handing the Lakers a 125-108 loss that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score suggests.
From the opening tip, the Lakers were flat. On both ends of the floor, the energy just wasn’t there.
Defensive rotations were late, closeouts were lazy, and offensively, the ball stuck far too often. The Suns, meanwhile, took full advantage.
Dillon Brooks and Collin Gillespie caught fire, and the Lakers had no answers. Phoenix moved the ball with purpose, hunted mismatches, and shot the lights out while L.A. looked like they were playing in quicksand.
It was one of those nights where the only thing left to play for was pride-and, in this case, a streak.
LeBron James, who had just six points on 2-of-7 shooting through three quarters, was unusually quiet. Whether it was fatigue, the Suns’ defensive schemes, or just an off night, James didn’t have his usual impact. But as the game slipped further out of reach, one subplot started to take center stage: his legendary 10-point streak.
James has scored in double figures in every game he’s played since January 2007, a mind-boggling run that now spans 1,296 consecutive contests. And even in a blowout loss, that streak wasn’t going to end quietly.
With the Lakers trailing big in the fourth, James stayed on the floor just long enough to get what he needed. First, he drew a foul and hit one of two free throws.
Then, he got Gillespie on a switch and buried a stepback three-classic LeBron. That shot pushed him into double digits, preserving the streak once again.
Shortly after, he checked out for good.
It was a small victory in an otherwise forgettable night for the Lakers, but it was enough to light up social media. Fans had plenty to say about James' determination to keep the streak alive, with some praising his consistency and others questioning the optics of chasing a personal milestone in a blowout loss.
Regardless of the noise, the streak lives on. And while the Lakers have bigger problems to solve-like their defensive lapses, inconsistent energy, and offensive rhythm-LeBron’s longevity continues to be one of the most remarkable stories in the league. Even on an off night, even in a blowout, he finds a way to make history.
For L.A., though, the focus now shifts to regrouping. The Western Conference is unforgiving, and nights like this can’t become a trend.
With or without Booker, the Suns looked sharper, hungrier, and more connected. The Lakers?
They’ll need to find that edge again-and fast.