Suns End Lakers' Seven-Game Win Streak Behind Brooks' 33 Points and Strong Team Defense

The Phoenix Suns secured a convincing 125-108 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, snapping Los Angeles' seven-game winning streak. Dillon Brooks spearheaded the effort with a game-high 33 points, while Collin Gillespie contributed 28 points, shooting 8-of-14 from beyond the arc. Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin each added 13 points, and Royce O'Neale dished out 11 assists, helping Phoenix bounce back from two consecutive losses to open a four-game road stretch.

Devin Booker, who scored 11 points in just 10 minutes during the first quarter, was forced to exit the game due to a groin injury. He observed the remainder of the contest from the sidelines in street clothes. Head coach Jordan Ott indicated that further updates on Booker's condition would be available on Tuesday. Prior to his departure, Booker reached the milestone of 17,000 career points in his 11 NBA seasons, becoming the third-youngest player to achieve 17,000 points and 3,600 assists at 29 years and 32 days of age, trailing only LeBron James and Oscar Robertson.

Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 38 points and 11 rebounds, supported by Austin Reaves’ 16 points. Despite the loss, LeBron James returned from a foot soreness to score 10 points, extending his record to 1,297 consecutive games with double-digit scoring. The Lakers, who committed 22 turnovers resulting in 32 Phoenix points, suffered only their third defeat in 16 games, occurring on the second night of a back-to-back home stretch.

After a balanced 31-31 first quarter, the Lakers briefly held a 41-35 lead in the second quarter following Booker’s exit. However, Phoenix intensified its defense and closed the half on a dominant 19-4 run to lead 66-52. Brooks was especially dominant, scoring 15 points in the second quarter and adding another 10 in the third, propelling Phoenix to a 96-77 advantage entering the final period.

In addition to Booker’s absence, the Suns were missing Grayson Allen for the eighth time in nine games due to illness. Deandre Ayton, the 2018 first overall draft pick by Phoenix, contributed 12 points and nine rebounds against his former team.

Phoenix’s resilience and balanced scoring ultimately subdued the Lakers, signaling a strong start to their challenging road trip.