The Los Angeles Lakers punched their ticket to the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals by edging out the Phoenix Suns 106-103. LeBron James was the catalyst, scoring 31 points total, including a crucial 15-point surge in the fourth quarter. He was backed by a strong showing from Anthony Davis (27 points, 15 rebounds) and Austin Reaves (20 points). The top-seeded Lakers will now travel to Las Vegas for a December 8 showdown with New Orleans, while the Bucks and Pacers will face off in the other semi.
Los Angeles Lakers power forward LeBron James scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, helping his side to beat the Phoenix Suns 106-103 and claim the last semifinal place in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. Good support from his teammates Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves powered the Lakers to clinch victory in the final minutes. Davis had 27 points and 15 rebounds while 25-year-old Reaves scored 20. The top-seeded Lakers will take on New Orleans in the semifinals on December 8, Friday in Las Vegas. In another semifinal, the Milwaukee Bucks will face Indiana Pacers.
Discussing the drive behind the victory, LeBron James pointed out that the high level of competition is natural when elite athletes are given a meaningful goal to strive for. Beyond the stats—11 assists, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals—the 38-year-old highlighted the prestige of the In-Season Tournament, noting how it allows players to represent their communities and families on a national broadcast.
LeBron's fourth-quarter brilliance was on full display, as he personally accounted for 15 of the Lakers' first 19 points and set up two more baskets via assists to put Los Angeles in the lead. On the other side, Kevin Durant put up 31 points for the Suns, but his final attempt—a long three-pointer—fell short as time expired. Devin Booker and Grayson Allen both contributed 21 points. Despite entering the game on a hot streak with eight wins in their last ten outings, the Suns suffered their third loss of the season to the Lakers.
The game came down to the wire; with 29 seconds remaining, Devin Booker cut the lead to just one point at 102-101. However, Austin Reaves silenced the crowd with his third three-pointer of the night with only 15 seconds left. Tension peaked after a Durant layup when the Suns grew frustrated with a referee's decision to grant LeBron a timeout, despite a loose ball that Booker seemed to have swiped away from Reaves just moments before.
The Suns were hampered by the absence of Bradley Beal, who missed his 11th consecutive game due to back problems. They also struggled with 22 turnovers and significant foul trouble for their stars: Booker picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth, and Durant, who already had four, hit his fifth with just over three minutes left. While Phoenix managed a 14-0 run immediately after halftime to erase a 15-point first-half deficit and take the lead, they couldn't maintain the momentum long enough to win.