Eric Bledsoe finished with 30 points and 9 assists and Leandro Barbosa added 20 points off the bench, as the Phoenix Suns beat the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers 119-115 on Friday at Staples Center.
Key Point of the Match:
Lakers rookie forward Brandon Ingram knocked down a trey to give his team a fighting chance down stretch, 115-113, with 17 seconds left in the game. However, the Suns finally sealed off the win with key free-throws from Bledsoe and Brandon Knight.
Players of the Game:
Lou Williams once again led the Lakers with 35 points on 10-for-19 shooting and 9-for-11 from the free-throw line. Bledsoe, who is averaging 19.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists this season, notched his first 30-point game of the season to end the Suns' 3-game slide. Phoenix also got solid contribution off the bench from Alex Len, who recorded 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Aftermath:
With another loss, the Lakers have now dropped their last five games, and sixth of their last seven matches. Luke Walton's team continued their free-fall in the Western Conference after a surprising start. The Lakers (10-15) will next play the New York Knicks on December 12 at Staples Center.
The Suns, on the other hand, improved to 7-16 but are still dead last in the Pacific Division. They will next take on the New Orleand Pelicans also on Dec. 12.
Halftime Update: Eric Bledsoe tallied 20 points and Devin Booker added 10 as the Phoenix Suns enjoys 62-52 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers at halftime in Phoenix, Arizona. Lou Williams, the team's leading scorer, leads his team with 12 points while Jordan Clarkson and Marcelo Huertas added 9 apiece for the struggling Lakers.
Full-Game Highlights:
