Lakers overcome 22-point deficit to beat Suns – Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES — If Tuesday’s season opener showed what the Lakers will look like under coach JJ Redick as they figure out the finer details early on, Friday’s 123 home win over the Phoenix Suns -116 showed that they can go into extra gear when needed.

The Lakers came back from a 22-point deficit to beat the Suns for their second win of the season after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier in the week.

The win marked the first time the Lakers have started a season 2-0 since 2010-11, a season they began with eight straight wins.

Anthony Davis has been at the center of the Lakers’ turnaround, showing that the Suns, like the Timberwolves, have no answer for him defensively.

Davis led his team with a game-high 35 points on 11-of-18 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks. He made 13 of 17 at the free throw line.

Austin Reaves had 26 points (8-of-12 shooting), eight assists and four rebounds, while LeBron James added 21 points (7-of-13), eight assists and four rebounds.

The Suns took advantage of the fact that the Lakers came out of the gates sluggish, seemingly playing a step or two ahead of the home team.

Phoenix scored 14 points on a fast-break first quarter and made 15 of its first 22 shots, 14 of which were assisted, to take a 38-23 second-quarter lead that grew to 48-26 early in the quarter and 55 -35 in the middle of the second.

The back-to-back play of Reaves and Davis kept the Lakers in the game, cutting the Suns’ lead to 61-52 at halftime.

The Lakers seemed to have cracked the code, at least on one play, until the mid-game break.

They started the third with an 8-2 run, then mixed up their defensive coverages and were sharper switching defensively, which helped them pick up more stops and get out of transition on offense.

The Lakers finished with 28 fast break points despite only having five late in the first quarter.

Davis’ free throws at the 8:35 mark of the third gave the Lakers their first lead, 68-67, since the opener.

The Lakers led throughout the fourth, leading by as many as 12 before pulling away for the eventual victory.