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This game felt like the Rockets season in microcosm. Amen Thompson returned from being out in the previous game, and the Rockets traveled to Orlando for the second game of a back to back. Orlando was at home, and last played Tuesday in Los Angeles. After a game of beating the woeful Kings easily with a more spacing friendly lineup, the Rockets were back to the usual, with Amen as the point guard.

The Rockets size and athleticism do them much less good against a team like Orlando. The Magic can counter the Rockets size and, mostly, athleticism at every position. Like the Rockets, the Magic struggle with offensive execution, and the addition of a single good shooter, Desmond Bane, hasn’t fixed the problem. Like the Rockets, great things were expected of the Magic this season, with the addition of Bane, similar to the Rockets with Durant. Some might have favored the Magic’s young talent over that on the Rockets, in the preseason. Again, like the Rockets, that talent has somewhat duplicative skill sets, and most of them require getting into the paint to be most effective.

Like the Rockets, a certain inflexibility of ideas regarding how to play, and further, a lack of shooting and spacing beyond Desmond Bane, has held Orlando back, even when healthy. Also similar to the Rockets, injuries have bent the initial concept of the team out of shape this season. Both are teams with a defense first (last and only?) identity, and neither has done much to address that issue, beyond hoping a new addition will fix it, while doing everything else much as before.

You’re probably wondering about the game, I don’t blame you. I very much believe the mirror image conceit is important in what follows.

The Old Look Rockets did not exactly light up the Orlando Magic with their Amen, Tari, Durant, Jabari, Sengun lineup. Considering potential spacing and general offense issues, one might look at this lineup and think “Wow, that’s all forwards, and one center. Sure, you can SAY Amen and Tari are guards, but they aren’t. Only Durant is a shooter anyone must respect and must go out to guard. Even so, Durant prefers to operate in the paint mostly. And Sengun never gets a pass made to him in the paint. He has to get to the rim somehow, from the 3pt line, every time. You know what I’d do? What everyone else does, harass Durant and pack the paint.”

Guess what? That’s what Orlando did. It worked. The Rockets lost the first quarter 22-29, while looking, frankly, dreadful on offense. Sure, it’s bad to surrender points, but it’s worse to surrender them and not score, to boot. It was very much a lather, rinse, repeat, no movement, spacing for a drive and kick that rarely happens, to supposed shooters nobody comes out to guard.

So, in true Udokan fashion, the Rockets tightened up on defense. And they somehow got even worse on offense. Orlando only scored 24 points. That’s great defense. The Rockets? They scored 21. That is simply losing NBA offense.

Kevin Durant looked, frankly, tired, maybe old, and why not? He’s a 37 year old player, playing big minutes routinely on the second night of a B2B on the road. Sengun couldn’t operate, the shooters you’d want to take 3pt shots weren’t taking them. Orlando wasn’t shooting threes at a great rate at that point, but they were taking, at one point, three times as many.

The score at halftime was a Wayback Machine 54-43. The Rockets were On Pace to score 86 points. That’s a losing score most nights in 1994. The battle of inept offenses continued, until 5:18 remaining in the 3rd quarter, with Orlando leading 76-57. What follows next was a strong an argument for shooting, for spacing, for point guard play, basically for the idea of offense in basketball, as I’ve ever seen. Of course the Rockets had to play good defense to make that happen, but somehow, despite the presence of Reed Sheppard, Kevin Durant and Clint Capela, that’s exactly what they did.

At 5:18 remaining, Reed Sheppard came in for Amen Thompson. Clint Capela came in for Alperen Sengun. Tari Eason stayed in the game, and we saw, finally, Josh Okogie take the place of Dorian Finney-Smith (and Jabari Smith).

The Rockets would go on the score the next 21 points. In roughly 4 minutes. Kevin Durant, Reed Sheppard, and Josh Okogie would score all those points, off a far better spaced Rockets offense. Most of those points, unlike earlier, were assisted. Most of them by Sheppard.

At 1:15 remaining in the third, with the Rockets taking a 78-76 lead, the Magic finally scored again. After that it would be a back and forth affair. Durant and a returning Sengun lead the Rockets down the stretch against a Magic team that suddenly found shooting with deadline acquisition Jevon Carter and Desmond Bane, who was amazing tonight. Jabari Smith returned, and with 9 minutes remaining, took, and made, his first three point attempt of the game. Mostly though it was the Rockets playing great defense, an energized Durant splashing tough shots, and finally, Reed Sheppard making two big threes in the last two minutes. Also credit to Josh Okogie. The Rockets finally put him on Desmond Bane, and he helped close him down. Okogie has been everything we hoped DFS would be, including making 3pt shots. It’s baffling he hasn’t played much lately.

I really can’t think of a better example of a game to emphasize the points I’ve been trying to make here. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that spacing, provided by two shooters defenses must respect, and point guard play turned this game, and brought the Rockets up to NBA average scoring in a bit less than a quarter and a half. Remember, they were on a pace to score 86 points, playing The Ime Way.

The Rockets basically have to play perfect defense to win the Ime Way. Why not play very good defense, and good offense, instead of requiring perfection? It might look like the Magic had a scoring outburst, but again, they were under NBA average. The Rockets really didn’t run an offense per se, the spacing just gave players like Durant, like Sengun, the space to be their best. It gave players like Okogie and Smith looks they can make.

Life doesn’t have to be as hard as it has been for the Rockets. Why does it seem like they only play reasonable offense when they have almost no other option?

Tonight KD played a real Game of Two Halves. In the end he scored 40 points, on 14-28 shooting. He was 2 for 10 from three point range, and that’s where maybe we saw tired legs. He hardly seemed to miss late, and showed why he was one of the greats of all time. But late game? Durant benefited from spacing, and from passing to him. The difference between a swarmed, harassed, KD, and one with room to work was enormous.

Sheppard scored 20 points on 7-11 shooting, in 31 minutes. He added 3 boards, 4 assists, 2 steal, 2 blocks, against a turnover. He’s far perfect, he’s still essentially a 21 year old rookie PG in terms of minutes. Judging him like an established veteran is lunacy. But he is simply the only player on the roster that can provide what they need. The only other player, besides Durant, to give them any shooting gravity, to take defenses out of their packline defense, essentially, and give both Alpie and KD a bit of room to operate.

Maybe it’s also time to stop being stubborn about lineups that cannot provide space to operate for Rockets players on offense? Are they THAT much better defensively? Or at all? The scoring for Orlando seemed about the same either way. What changed was the Rockets offense.

The difference between the Reed lineup late, and everything before it, was that stark. It seems blasphemous to suggest that Amen maybe shouldn’t be on the court in certain situations, but that’s exactly what’s happening to his brother in Detroit. It’s very difficult to simply defend your way to a comeback. Scoring is required. You just can’t have a player in a guard role that just can’t shoot it, combined with a non shooting center, and two other offensive players that simply haven’t earned the respect of defenses, for good reason. It just doesn’t work in the pace and space, three point shooting, modern NBA.

You may have another viewpoint, and this is just one game, but the Rockets didn’t even run some sort of offense late. It was the same old motionless, hanging around the 3pt line stuff, just with a PG who could shoot it, and one defenses must respect for that shooting.

When Caleb Foster had various members of the Duke team on the Brotherhood Podcast before last season started, he asked everyone who had surprised them the most.

Just about everyone said Kon Knueppel, and that kind of got your attention.

This past fall, before the NBA season started, someone asked Charlotte GM Jeff Peterson if he was unfortunate to have drafted fourth and missed out on Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and VJ Edgecombe.

We don’t remember exactly what he said, but he made it clear that he got the player he wanted, and that stuck, too.

And on Thursday night, Knueppel, who is having a tremendous rookie season, shattered the NBA three-point record with 23 games to go.

He surpassed Keegan Murray’s previous record of 206 in a game at Indiana and his 207th three came on a pass from former Duke teammate Sion James.

How cool is that? The new record, which he’ll keep breaking for a while, is currently 209.

Even if Knueppel only gets one three per game (and he had eight against the Pacers), he’d finish with 232. If he averages two per game, it’ll be 255. And if he averages three, he’ll get to 278.

If he goes on a real tear and gets four per game, Knueppel would finish with 301.

Wherever he ends up, that record is likely to be safe for a few years. What an amazing season the kid has had!

• Kon Knueppel’s Insane Rookie Year Now Puts Him in a Club with Larry Bird, Steph Curry
• Kon Knueppel credits his teammates for helping him get the historic three-point record
• NBA World Reacts As Hornets Phenom Kon Knueppel Shatters Rookie 3-Point Record: ‘Unbelievable Performance’
• Knueppel Breaks Rookie Three-Point Record in Obi Toppin’s Return
• Hornets’ Kon Knueppel: Drills eight treys
• Knueppel breaks rookie 3-point season record in Hornets’ romp over Pacers
• Kon Knueppel Makes Rookie of the Year Statement With Three-Point Record Before 60th Game
• Kon Knueppel sets rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season
• Kon Knueppel Makes History, Sets NBA Rookie Three-Point Record in Hornets Romp Over Pacers
• Kon Knueppel obliterates NBA rookie record
• Cooper Flagg’s Career Setback All but Confirmed as NBA Finally Gives In to Kon Knueppel

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The Dallas Mavericks hosted the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night, seeing their two-game win streak come to an end with a 130-121 loss.

Let’s get to the grades!

Naji Marshall: A+

36 PTS / 10 REB / 6 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 42 MIN

One! Man! Gang!

Max Christie: C

8 PTS / 2 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 27 MIN

Christie couldn’t quite find the range, hitting only 3-for-9 overall and 2-for-5 from deep. Compounding the issue was that what he did contribute didn’t come in any impactful way – no big-moment shot or key defensive stop and two turnovers paired with zero assists.

Caleb Martin: B-

10 PTS / 0 REB / 2 AST / 3 STL / 0 BLK – 20 MIN

Martin had a deceptively decent box score despite an almost shockingly bad plus/minus of minus-25. He shot 4-for-7 from the floor, didn’t turn the ball over and had an impressive number of steals.

Khris Middleton: B+

17 PTS / 5 REB / 4 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 33 MIN

Middleton put on a savvy veteran performance. He didn’t shoot at a particularly effective rate to start, but made up for it by getting to the free throw line (5-for-5) and then hit a couple of nice shots in the fourth quarter to end the game 5-for-9 overall (2-for-4 from down town). He had a more solid game than his box score totals would necessarily indicate, although you really can’t complain about much there aside from three turnovers.

Marvin Bagley: B

10 PTS / 9 REB / 0 AST / 0 STL / 2 BLK – 29 MIN

In a recent Grades article, I pondered if Bagley would eventually get a starting nod over Gafford, given their comparative play. Tonight Bagley got his chance, although Gafford was unavailable. I’m not really sure what else to say about him at this point. He has been a huge positive for this team, consistently making smart plays and putting himself in a position for success. His production has been great, especially relative to minutes played. He was 5-for-6 from the floor and continues to do a lot of small things – boxing out (unheard of!), getting offensive rebounds, sneaking into the paint for a little drop-off pass he converts into a dunk. He took a knee to the head, but returned after a quick trip to the locker room to come just shy of a double-double. Way too many turnovers and fouls (four apiece) hurt his grade relative to where he has been lately.

Brandon Williams: B+

16 PTS / 3 REB / 4 AST / 1 STL / 0 BLK – 27 MIN

Despite hitting 6-for-10 from the floor, Williams’ grade gets dinged for three turnovers, three fouls and hitting only 3-for-7 from the free throw line. His game was a bit Jekyll-and-Hyde as a result, but credit for a big three-pointer in the fourth quarter and consistently penetrating to breakdown the defense.

Klay Thompson: C

8 PTS / 2 REB / 2 AST / 0 STL / 1 BLK – 16 MIN

Thompson mirrored Christie in both output and presence. He was fine, but largely flew under the radar in respect of material impact on the game.

AJ Johnson: A+

11 PTS / 2 REB / 1 AST / 0 STL / 0 BLK – 15 MIN

I’ve joked with fellow MMB’ers David Trink and Tyler Edsel about my high hopes for Johnson, so it feels good to give him an A+ here. In fairness, there is quite literally zero history to compare to, and this was his best game as a Mav by default. Nonetheless, he did have a solid game and was a legitimate part of the Mavs’ fourth quarter comeback when he dropped in eight of his 11 points. 4-for-4 shooting with two and-ones allowed him to show some flashes. It’s nice Dallas has a very young player they can invest some time in, to see what they may have.

Final Thoughts

The Mavericks’ ability to get obliterated in the first quarter and inevitably make it a clutch game is the stuff of legend at this point. It’s beyond belief. Dallas couldn’t finish the comeback, largely victimized by missed free throws (21-for-34) and 17 turnovers. If nothing else, it helps the effort for a higher draft pick.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Michael Porter Jr. has spent this month fighting his way through a funk partly of his own making.

The worst shooting slump he can remember has been about rhythm and rust. And maybe a little bit about mentality as well.

“It’s the feel, the timing. My shot hasn’t felt this off since I can remember. For the last four or five games, I’ve been off. But that’s what happens when you’re out of rhythm and you don’t play for a while,” Porter said before Thursday’s 126-110 loss to the Spurs.

“You can really lose your timing and your touch in two or three days of not playing. So not playing (in the last two games) pre-All-Star break, then not getting in the gym much during it, I’m paying the price for it.”

And so had Brooklyn.

After missing games in Utah and Detroit while mourning the death of his grandmother, Porter hadn’t been the same since returning. He sat the last two games before the All-Star break and admitted he didn’t get into the gym as much as he should’ve.

He’d been as cold as this week’s blizzard since, averaging 19.0 points and shooting just 10-of-55 from deep in his prior seven games.

He showed signs of his old form Thursday vs. San Antonio.

“I’ve got to get back in rhythm,” said Porter. “Before the All-Star break I didn’t play a couple games. And then I honestly didn’t do much over the break. So I’ve got to get back in rhythm and play better.”

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Porter started to shake off his malaise against San Antonio with 25 points and 14 rebounds, both team highs.

It may be less about adjusting to defenses and more about adjusting to circumstances.

The mental issue may not be about mourning, but motivation. Porter had done nothing but win in Denver, where every night was high pressure.

This rebuilding thing is an adjustment.

“This is a new situation that I’ve been in,” said Porter. “But no game is meaningless. It’s all part of the journey. We’re not just looking at this year. We’re looking at the next one, two, three, four, five years. All these games matter for growth, continuity and chemistry. Sometimes it’s hard to focus on that. But we’ve got to come in and work every day and realize it’s a bigger picture.

“It’s definitely a change. It’s a learning curve and a learning experience for me. In the past, you’re ramping up for the playoffs, trying to get guys healthy and get chemistry right. This situation is different. But it’s a cool opportunity to grow and learn.”

And to show he’s a huge piece of that bigger picture, which should start to come into focus over the summer.

“We have a process and a plan in place. You cannot control everything but it’s very exciting and everybody should feel the excitement of the next step,” said head coach Jordi Fernández. “These last 25 games are very important. Then it’s a big summer for everybody. I want to win every game, but playing these 25 to compete, and [then] how we structure the summer is the best thing, the biggest summer of our lives.

“So whatever it takes — understanding where your feet are and what you’re asked to do, putting the team first — not yourself, but the team, and going out there to compete and get better. That’s what we’re demanding. We’re demanding that from the vets, to lead by example, to go out and fight and compete. That’s a must. So there are no excuses here; there’s no feeling bad for yourself, no wasting 25 games. These 25 games are very important for everyone.”

Porter was aggressive Thursday, perhaps too much. He had six turnovers, getting caught in the lane vs. Victor Wembanyama.

“Yeah, 22 shots is good. He disrupts so much. Maybe what I’d like to see is less than six turnovers,” said Fernández. “Right there is maybe some of those is he just sees two bodies in front, he kicks it, he cuts, maybe he gets a layup [or] somebody gets a layup… [But] he was aggressive. He played well.”

The losses are mounting for the Lakers in the most excruciating of ways. They've lost their last two games in the final second, and it's eating at them because they used to be so good in late, critical moments.

The Lakers fell to the Phoenix Suns 113-110 on Thursday after Austin Reaves missed a three-point shot as time expired. The injury-depleted Suns earned the win on a three-pointer by Royce O’Neale with ninth-tenths of a second left.

The Lakers have lost three consecutive games for the third time this season. They were blown out by the Boston Celtics on Sunday before losing by one at home to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday when Luka Doncic passed up a three and threw the ball to LeBron James, who missed a hurried, last-second three.

Read more:Lakers hire former Virginia coach Tony Bennett as a draft advisor

Against the Suns, the Lakers rallied from 12 points down in the fourth quarter after Doncic went to work. He hit back-to-back threes during the comeback and finished with 41 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

The Lakers made it a clutch game, the kind in which they've been an NBA-best 16-5. Still, they lost.

“Our losses are louder than other teams' because we're the Lakers and because of the way we lose,” coach JJ Redick said. “Tonight was a one-possession clutch game, which, now we've lost a few of those. But we've been great for the most part in the clutch all year.”

The Lakers (34-24) tied the score twice in the final minute, first on a three by Reaves and then on a tip-in by James, who had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists, with 22.7 seconds left.

Phoenix put the ball into the hands of Grayson Allen, who blew past Doncic and got into the teeth of the Lakers' defense. Doncic and James collided and fell down, giving Allen a chance to whip a pass to Collin Gillespie, who swung the ball to a wide-open O’Neale.

O’Neale's winning shot settled into the nets cleanly.

“There was no one to rotate, essentially,” Redick said. “So, got a clean look and he made it.”

On the final play, Marcus Smart inbounded the ball and James and Maxi Kleber set a double-screen to get Reaves open. Reaves floated to the corner and took a cross-court pass, but his shot bounced off the rim

“Just missed,” Reaves said. He was five for 12 from the field and two for five from three-point range.

After another tough loss, Reaves called the team’s level of frustration “Very high.”

Allen finished with 28 points and six assists off the bench, and Gillespie had 21 points for Phoenix (34-26).

The Lakers couldn't stop Phoenix from making threes. The Suns were 22 for 50 from three-point range despite playing without All-Star guard Devin Booker (right hip strain), Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture) and Jordan Goodwin (left calf strain).

“They shot 50 threes, you know? So, obviously they made a lot,” Doncic said. “So they were just moving around. I think a couple stretches we did a pretty good job being physical, but then just a couple stretches of not being physical and they just were [taking over].”

Read more:New Lakers executive Lon Rosen discusses increased ticket prices, Magic Johnson

Next up for the Lakers are the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on Saturday. It’s another opportunity for the Lakers to move on from disappointment.

“The only way to get out of it is to keep playing,” Smart said. “Like I said earlier, you can't get too high, too low. That's when the snowball effect happens. We're still in good shape.

"We got to continue to trust and we can't allow games like this to deter us from trusting in each other and trusting the way that we play. ... It hurts. But like I said, we get to go out and redeem our stuff and we got to make up for it.”

Notes

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura didn’t play because of an illness, the team said. But backup center Jaxson Hayes, who missed the previous game because of right ankle soreness, played 21 minutes, finishing with eight rebounds and six points.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

When Precious Achiuwa, Maxime Raynaud and Dequon Plowden come to town, Katie bar the doors. You’re in for a tough one.

Achiuwa’s career-high scoring night spelled doom for the Dallas Mavericks (21-37) on Thursday at American Airlines Center, as the Sacramento Kings begrudgingly (14-47) took the 130-121 win in the battle of who wanted it less. Achiuwa led the Kings with 29 points and 12 rebounds in the win, while Raynaud scored 22 and Plowden added a season-high 19. Frequent Mavs killer DeMar DeRozan scored just seven points, in a weird one.

Naji Marshall tried to will the Mavs to a third straight win but had no one riding shotgun with him through wide stretches of the game. Here are six numbers that tell the tale of the Mavs’ latest loss to pile on the heap that has become the 2025-26 season.

5-of-5: Naji Marshall’s shooting start

The Mavericks fell behind 28-15 in the game’s first seven minutes, but Naji Marshall dragged the Mavs along, sparking the ailing Dallas offense into an 11-2 Mavs run to stay connected early. He macheted his way through the trees for a strong driving hoop with 4:51 left in the first before finding Klay Thompson with a nifty cross-court pass for an open 3-pointer in the corner two possessions later to bring the Mavericks to within 30-24. Marshall’s pair of free throws with 3:08 left in the opener put him at 13 points in the game’s first nine minutes.

Marshall didn’t miss from the field in the first quarter and dished two assists when the Sacramento defense caved in around his dense center of gravity as the only Maverick contributing anything of substance to the cause. He came into the game scoring 15 or more points in 17 of his last 20 games. He promptly missed four of his next five attempts to start the second quarter, but still eclipsed the 20-point mark before halftime for the fourth time in his tenure with the Mavs.

42: Kings’ first-quarter scoring

Unfortunately, the Mavericks’ defense allowed the Kings to shoot 57% from the field in the first, and the offense turned it over six times in the quarter. It was the perfect recipe for allowing the worst team in the NBA to score 42 points. Ineptitude at its finest.

Precious Achiuwa nullified Marshall’s 13 first-quarter points with 14 of his own, on 6-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-2 from downtown. Center Maxime Raynaud, who has filled in admirably for most of the season as Domantas Sabonis’ year has been lost to a knee injury, added eight in the quarter on 4-of-7 shooting against a paper-thin Dallas frontcourt.

The Kings took a 42-28 lead after one. When the team sitting in 29th in the NBA in scoring lays 42 on your head in the fourth quarter, you’re in the bad place.

11-0: Dallas’ early third-quarter run

After trailing 68-56 at the half, finally, someone joined Marshall at the party early in the third. Dallas was down 72-58 when Max Christie woke up. He drove through the teeth of the Kings’ defense to bring the Mavs to within 72-60, before canning his second 3-pointer of the game three possessions later to make it 72-69 with 8:47 left in the third.

But Dallas, ever-prone to the live-ball turnover, gave it all back in the next three minutes. The Kings answered with a 14-2 run of their own to extend the lead to 86-71 midway through the third. Devin Carter scored on three put-back buckets during the Sacramento run.

The Mavs and the Kings battled to a stalemate in the third, sending it to the fourth quarter with Sacramento holding onto a 100-88 lead.

20-of-33: Dallas free-throw shooting

The little things bit the Mavs in the ass against the Kings. In a game where Dallas struggled to catch up after falling down by 18 points early on, the Mavs didn’t help themselves at the free-throw line. For a team that can’t hit from the outside, living in the paint and converting at the stripe becomes crucial. When guys don’t hit the free ones, trouble piles up on trouble, and it makes a comeback almost impossible.

As the Mavericks tried to come back late in the fourth quarter once again, it was the missed free throws that made the hill just a little too steep to climb. The 17 turnovers didn’t help, either. They led directly to 21 points for the Kings.

36/10/6: Marshall’s stat line in the loss

Marshall finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the loss on Thursday, becoming just the second Maverick this season to finish a game with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Cooper Flagg did it in the team’s 111-107 loss at the Houston Rockets on Jan. 31, when he poured in 34 points, pulled down 12 boards and dished five dimes.

Only three other Mavericks players have ever finished a game with at least 30, 10 and five. Dirk Nowitzki did it 29 times, current co-general manager Michael Finley did it once and Luka Dončić did it 88 times in a Mavs uniform. Remember that guy?

Marshall’s 36 points on Thursday set a new season-high mark and were just two points shy of his career-high scoring mark of 38 points, which came last season at the New York Knicks.

4-of-4: An AJ Johnson sighting

Mixed in with all the ridiculousness Thursday’s game provided was an AJ Johnson sighting. The 21-year-old second-year end-of-the-bench enigma scored 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting in 15 minutes, easily his best performance since coming over to the Mavs seven games ago from the Washington Wizards in the Anthony Davis trade.

The Mavericks sent one diminutive long-term project of a point guard out in that trade in Jaden Hardy. Does the team want to take on another in Johnson by holding onto him this offseason?

PHOENIX — Don’t let the late comeback attempt fool you. Or Luka Doncic’s absurd shotmaking. Or the team’s late uptick in hustle, physicality and energy.

Because if the Lakers played with the level of intent they did in the final 6 ½ minutes of Thursday’s matchup against the Suns for the entire game, they wouldn’t have been in the position they were in in the first place.

Instead, they were late to the party, with Royce O’Neale’s game-winner 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left and Austin Reaves’ wide-open missed corner 3 at the buzzer sending the Lakers out of Mortgage Matchup Center with a 113-110 defeat for their third straight loss. 

It’s the second straight game they lost late after being one of the league’s best clutch teams, following Tuesday’s home loss to the Magic. 

“We were supposed to win,” Marcus Smart said. “We did everything right. We were healthy. We’re playing well, and we let our foot up, and they made us pay for it. And those are the ones that get us.”

Doncic finished with a game-high 41 points on 12-of-21 shooting to go with eight assists and eight rebounds. He scored 14 points in the third quarter and nine in the fourth.

But the Lakers, who were facing a short-handed Suns team that was missing their two best players in Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks, shouldn’t have needed his scoring output the way they did.

But the Lakers weren’t tenacious enough on the glass, with Phoenix grabbing 15 offensive rebounds.

And they were slow closing out to shooters, leading to the Suns shooting 44% on 3s (22 of 50). 

“The thing we talked about [Thursday] morning was trying to limit their lasers and not just in makes, but in terms of attempts,” coach JJ Redick said. “It’s the reason we didn’t play a ton of zone [defense], didn’t play any zone. We made some adjustments with our fives. Had them in coverage for most of the game; they ended up getting some good looks. Went to 15. They got some transition 3s.

“You have to defend for 24 seconds. So that starts in transition and then they’re just gonna keep playing and get to multiple actions and, and that’s the part that I think that just hurt us a lot. Just being able to keep up with their pace and their speed.”

What it means

The Lakers are on their first three-game losing streak since early January, and have lost five of their last seven games. 

They’re 34-24 on the season and clinging onto No. 6 in the West, just one game ahead of the No. 7 Suns in the standings.

Turning point 

A cop out would be to say there were too many critical moments that the Lakers lost to choose just one.

But of all of the embarrassing moments, one stood out among the rest: when Ryan Dunn, who was the furthest away from the Lakers’ basket after contesting a missed Luke Kennard 3-pointer, beat every Lakers player down the floor to make himself available for a wide-open dunk in transition.

The Suns went up 96-86 after the dunk, with the Lakers calling timeout. 

MVP: Grayson Allen

Allen led the Suns with 28 points, including 16 in the third the Suns took control of the game.

He and Collin Gillespie made six 3s apiece.

“We just got to do a better job at getting to bodies and forcing them inside the three-point line when that happens,” Jake LaRavia said. “It starts with physicality.”

Stat of the game: Five

Thursday was just the fifth time this season the Lakers lost a game after shooting at least 50% from the floor.

They entered Thursday with a 24-4 record in games they made at least half of their shots.

Up next

The Lakers travel to San Francisco for a nationally-televised matchup against the Warriors on Saturday at Chase Center.

The statuses for Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis and De’Anthony Melton weren’t known as of Thursday evening after they missed the Warriors’ road win over the Grizzlies on Wednesday. 

The Lakers are hoping to get Rui Hachimura back in the lineup after he sat out of Thursday’s game because of an illness. 

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tyrese Maxey broke Allen Iverson’s 76ers franchise record for 3-pointers, finishing with five 3s and 28 points Thursday night in Philadelphia’s 124-117 victory over the Miami Heat.

Maxey also had 11 assists and helped steady the Sixers after they blew a 16-point halftime lead. Joel Embiid had 26 points and 11 rebounds and Kelly Oubre scored 21 points for Philadelphia, which has won three straight after dropping its previous four.

Bam Adebayo had 29 points and 14 rebounds and Tyler Herro scored 25 points for the Heat, who have lost two straight.

Maxey came in with 882 3-pointers, three behind Iverson, and broke the record with 1:38 left in the first quarter. He made all five of his 3s — a career high for a period — and scored 20 points in the first quarter alone. He finished 5 of 12 beyond the arc.

The 25-year-old Maxey has 887 3-pointers midway through his sixth season; Iverson played his first 10 seasons and parts of two more for the Sixers.

HORNETS 133, PACERS 109

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kon Knueppel broke the NBA rookie 3-point season record and scored 28 points, Brandon Miller had 33 points and Charlotte beat Indiana.

Needing six 3-pointers to top the rookie mark of 206 set by Keegan Murray in 80 games in 2022-23, the NBA’s leading 3-point shooter was 8 of 12 to get to 209 — in just 59 games. Golden State’s Stephen Curry holds the overall record at 402.

The record-breaking 3 came with 9:41 to play in the fourth quarter. Knueppel made a ball fake on Quintin Jackson to get him off his feet, dribbled left and put the shot up. The ball rattled around the rim before going through.

Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick from Duke, helped the Hornets improve to 12-3 in their last 15. They’ve also won their last nine road games.

Andrew Nembhard led Indiana with 20 points, and Micah Potter had 19. The Pacers gave up 130 points for the third consecutive game for just the third time in franchise history.

HAWKS 126, WIZARDS 96

ATLANTA (AP) — Newcomers CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert combined for 58 points against their former team, leading Atlanta to a win against Washington.

It was the second of a two-game home series for the Hawks against the team to which they traded Trae Young in January. The Hawks received McCollum and Kispert in exchange — a decision that paid off in this one.

Kispert scored 22 of his career-high 33 points in the first half, subbing in with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter and promptly going 5 for 5 beyond the 3-point arc over the next 10 minutes. He finished the night 6 of 11 on 3-point attempts.

McCollum, who has worked his way into the starting lineup since arriving, scored 25 points and had six rebounds and three assists. The veteran guard made a 27-foot 3 pointer and a subsequent free throw right before half, extending Atlanta’s lead to 75-56.

Dyson Daniels added 13 points, 11 assists, four rebounds and tied a season high with five steals.

Will Riley and Tre Johnson led the Wizards with 14 points apiece. Anthony Davis and Young, who the Wizards traded for earlier this season, were both sidelined with injuries.

SPURS 126, NETS 110

NEW YORK (AP) — Julian Champagnie scored 26 points to lead San Antonio to its 11th straight victory, beating Brooklyn.

Victor Wembanyama had his second straight quiet night offensively, finishing with 12 points, but the surging Spurs had plenty of balance against the lottery-bound Nets. Stephon Castle scored 18 points, De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell had 14 apiece, Keldon Johnson scored 13 and Dylan Harper had 12.

San Antonio (43-16) is on its longest winning streak since it won 13 straight in the 2015-16 season.

Michael Porter Jr. had 24 points and 14 rebounds for the Nets, who have lost six straight. Reserve Day’Ron Sharpe had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

It took San Antonio all of 13 seconds to take a lead it would not relinquish. Wembanyama won the opening tip and dropped a pass to a cutting Castle for a spectacular two-handed dunk. By the end of the opening period, Castle had 13 points and the Spurs led 36-22.

ROCKETS 113, MAGIC 108

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 26 of his season-high 40 points in the second half and Houston wiped out a 19-point Orlando lead in less than four minutes to beat the Magic.

Reed Sheppard came off the Houston bench to add 20 points, hitting five 3-pointers in the second half. Alperen Sengun had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Desmond Bane led the Magic with 30 points. Paolo Banchero added 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

Jalen Suggs, coming off the Magic bench for the first time this season, scored three points in 13 minutes after missing three games with back spasms.

Bane hit all five of his 3-point attempts in the first half, helping Orlando to a 53-43 lead.

The Magic led 76-57 when Banchero converted a steal by Suggs into a dunk with 5:04 left in the third quarter. The Rockets responded with a 21-0 run over the next 3 1/2 minutes. Ryan Sheppard hit three 3-pointers and scored 11 points during the run, which left Houston with a one-point lead.

KINGS 130, MAVERICKS 121

DALLAS (AP) — Precious Achiuwa had a career-high 29 points and added 12 rebounds, Maxime Raynaud scored 22 points and Sacramento beat Dallas.

The Kings (14-47) have won two of their last three following a franchise-record 16-game losing streak. Averaging an NBA-low 110.1 points per game, they fell short of a season high by five points.

Naji Marshall scored a season-high 36 points, one short of his career best, and had 10 rebounds and six assists for the Mavericks (21-37), who have lost 11 of their last 13 games and six consecutive at home.

Dallas cut a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to 123-121 with 1:56, but Sacramento scored the final seven points beginning with Achiuwa’s putback off his miss with the shot clock about to expire.

The four Mavericks who were acquired on Feb. 5 in the three-team trade that sent Anthony Davis to Washington made their Dallas debuts. They were led by Khris Middleton with 17 points.

TRAIL BLAZERS 121, BULLS 112

CHICAGO (AP) — Jerami Grant scored 27 points and Portland held on for a victory over Chicago for its 11th straight loss.

Toumani Camara scored 16 points, Robert Williams III had 14 points and 14 rebounds and Vit Krejci also scored 14 points for the Trail Blazers, who were without All-Star Deni Avdija (back) for the second straight game.

Matas Buzelis scored 20 points to lead the Bulls, who matched the third-longest losing streak in franchise history. Chicago has dropped 11 straight games in February since last winning against Miami on Jan. 31.

Tre Jones had 19 points as the Bulls fell to 0-5 on their seven-game homestand. Josh Giddey scored 15 points and had nine assists and Nick Richards had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

In a game that featured 17 lead changes and 13 ties, Portland pulled away in the fourth quarter to take a 15-point advantage — its biggest of the game — at 105-90 on two free throws by Blake Wesley with 9:02 remaining.

PELICANS 129, JAZZ 118

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Saddiq Bey scored 42 points, Zion Williamson had 20 and New Orleans beat Utah to open a two-game set.

The teams will meet again in Salt Lake City on Saturday night. The Pelicans, who opened a six-game trip, have won three straight and five of seven to improve to 18-42.

Bey was 14 of 20 from the field, making 5 of 9 3-pointers, and hit all nine of his free throws. Williamson was 9 of 14 from the floor.

Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray added 17 points and nine assists in his second straight game after missing more than a year because of a torn right Achilles.

Ace Bailey led Utah with 23 points, and Brice Sensabaugh had 20. The short-handed Jazz have lost four straight to fall to 18-41.

SUNS 113, LAKERS 110

PHOENIX (AP) — Royce O’Neale made a 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds remaining, Grayson Allen scored 28 points and short-handed Phoenix beat Los Angeles after blowing a late 12-point lead.

Allen drove into the lane on the Suns’ final possession before finding Collin Gillespie in the corner. Gillespie quickly swung the ball to an open O’Neale.

L.A.‘s Austin Reaves missed an open corner 3 at the buzzer. Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 41 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

Reaves’ miss capped a thrilling final few minutes.

The Lakers bounced back from a 12-point deficit with 6:28 left to tie it at 108 on Reaves’ 3-pointer with a minute to go. O’Neale responded with a layup after an offensive rebound to take a 110-108, but LeBron James had a tip-in on the ensuing possession to tie it at 110 with 22.7 seconds left.

Phoenix bounced back from a 13-point deficit early in the third quarter to tie it at 80 going into the fourth. Allen scored 16 points in the third, hitting four 3-pointers.

Gillespie made four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with 21 points. The Suns shot 22 of 50 (44%) from 3-point range.

The Phoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 113-110 Thursday night, improving their record to 34-26 on the year, and ending their two-game losing streak.

Phoenix hit 22 threes in the contest, led by Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen hitting six apiece, but the most important three of the night came from Royce O’Neale, who hit the game-winning triple with 0.9 seconds on the clock.

SWISH. pic.twitter.com/4omLnGizAy

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 27, 2026

Both teams endured multiple double-digit deficits throughout the contest to set up for a back-and-forth ending. Luka Dončić single handedly was carrying the Lakers late, while the Suns took a more team-oriented approach.

With the win, Phoenix is now just one game back of the Lakers for the last playoff spot and have officially won the season series, something that could prove to be pivotal when it comes to the final standings.

Considering the potential seeding circumstances, Phoenix still down Dillon Brooks, Devin Booker and Jordan Goodwin, and the Lakers playing mostly at full strength, this was arguably the Suns’ most impressive and important win of the year.

Game Flow

First Half

After a lackluster few offensive performances, the Suns got off to a strong start offensively, scoring nine points in the first three minutes of the game. The ball movement was strong, and the team was getting to the rim. Phoenix built an early 17-9 lead that forced a Los Angeles timeout. After the breakm the Lakers went on a 12-0 run to take their first lead of the game. Luka Dončić started to get into a rhythm, having himself a 12-point first quarter.

As the Suns continue to battle the injury bug, Suns who don’t typically touch the rotation got a chance to contribute early on, including Rasheer Fleming and Amir Coffey, but weren’t making much of an impact as the Suns ended the quarter allowing a 18-5 run to Los Angeles.

At the end of 12 minutes, the Lakers led the Suns 27-22.

Phoenix retook the lead with an 8-2 run early in the second, Grayson Allen and Collin Gillespie were running the ship. The hot start to the second was a “necessary response,” to the Lakers end to the first quarter, as Suns Broadcaster Kevin Ray put it. Phoenix started the second hitting 7/8 first shots, with the bench scoring 10. They were able to build multiple double-digit leads.

6 POINTS IN 11 SECONDS 🔥 https://t.co/9cTSNcpdAupic.twitter.com/Ttbn1rAV8G

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 27, 2026

After a hot offensive start, the Suns started to struggle offensively, allowing the Lakers to end the second. Phoenix scored just four points in the final 4:56 of the half.

It was 49-49 going into the second half. Dončić and Allen were the only players for either team in double digits. It was the first time in the last six games the Suns weren’t trailing after two quarters.

Second Half

The Suns called a timeout early in the third because the Lakers went on a 7-0 run in the first 2:17. The Phoenix offense stayed anemic after the timeout. Los Angeles took their first double-digit lead of the game, leading to another Suns timeout.

Finally, 4:08 into the second half, a Grayson Allen three broke the seal on the basket for the Suns, but it took some time for the team to get in a groove on offense.

Down 12 midway through the third, the Suns went on a 10-0 run, spearheaded by Grayson Allen. The guard hit two consecutive threes, forcing a Lakers timeout.

Allen continued to stay hot from three; Amir Coffey and Rasheer Fleming joined the party, too. Fleming had a strong quarter, hitting multiple threes.

After being down as much as 12, the Suns and Lakers were tied at 80 heading into the fourth quarter.

Phoenix carried their strong end to the third into the fourth, going on a 15-5 run to start the fourth, and the Mortgage Matchup Center was getting amped up.

OSO IGHODARO TWO-HAND POSTER 😤 pic.twitter.com/HMhlic1fxa

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 27, 2026

Just like the Suns stayed resilient when they went down, the Lakers did too. Phoenix was up as much as 12, but Dončić almost single-handedly brought the Lakers back ahead.

With 22 seconds, the game was tied at 110, and Phoenix had the ball. Grayson Allen took charge of the offense, and this happened:

Royce O’Neale. Cold blooded. pic.twitter.com/qmT8jAzWmT

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 27, 2026

It was a fitting ending to what was an extremely hot shooting night for the Suns, who went 22/50 from behind the arc to end their two-game losing streak. Grayson Allen led the team with 28 points and six threes, Gillespie chipped in 21 and six triples, but O’Neale hit the biggest three of them all. O’Neale scored the Suns’ last seven points to end the game.

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Up Next

The Suns will have a five-day break between games. They’ll face the Kings for their first game of March on Tuesday, the third. Sacramento has the worst record in the NBA.

The Utah Jazz lost vital game in the tank-race against the New Orleans Pelicans, with a final score of 129-118.

With this loss, Utah ties New Orleans in the win column, putting the Jazz well within reach of a top-five lottery position. The Jazz and Pelicans are currently on opposite trajectories – Utah is dropping player after player due to well-timed injuries, while the Pelicans are closing the season out with the return of guard Dejounte Murray and the often-injured Zion Williams. Plus, unlike Utah, New Orleans has zero ownership over their first-round pick this year (thanks to Derik Queen, who finished tonight with five points and six rebounds), so tanking doesn’t benefit them anyway.

It will be hard for Utah to catch anyone else. The Sacramento Kings, like the Pelicans, are losing games despite every effort to the contrary. (Just remember, if you ever think you have it rough, you aren’t a Pelicans or Kings fan). And both the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards appear to be immune from the same tanking penalties as the Jazz.

But tonight, the Jazz got the job done. In a season full of putrid basketball, this was a particularly putrid showing by the Utah tonight. Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier had four turnovers each. John Konchar, Brice Sensabaugh, and Elijah Harkless pitched in two each. And in an effort to keep up with the young folk, Kevin Love outdid himself with three of his own turnovers.

Thankfully, fans attending the game tonight got to see one of the better highlights of the season:

CODY WILLIAMS MY GOODNESS 😱🫢 pic.twitter.com/VD12xh9Cou

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 27, 2026

Ever since Cody Williams realized he was 21 years-old, 6’ 8” with a 7’ 1” wingspan, and had a 35-inch vertical, he’s been a pleasure to watch. Until his shot comes around, this type of aggression is going to be the only way that he stays in the league.

The Jazz will take on the Pelicans once again this Saturday.

In a run of frustrating defeats, the Lakers keep topping themselves. Facing a Suns team without either Devin Booker or Dillon Brooks, the Lakers had a horrid defensive showing to drop a third straight game, 113-110.

In another back-and-forth finish, LeBron James tied the game with a putback with just over 20 seconds remaining before Royce O’Neale hit a 3-pointer to win it with 0.9 left.

Phoenix converted on 22 shots from range, outscoring the Lakers by 33 points from three. The Lakers offset some of that by outscoring Phoenix by 12 at the free throw line, but it was a difference too large to overcome.

The game began with O’Neale knocking down a 3-pointer. Both teams exchanged buckets before Phoenix started building a cushion on their lead.

Luka Dončić had five points for LA. LeBron and Austin Reaves combined for four points. Ryan Dunn, meanwhile, scored a fast five points for the Suns. 

Phoenix was leading by eight with LA was in a scoring drought. Los Angeles then heated up with a 14-0 scoring run to take the lead. LeBron and Luka led the run with eight points between them. Luka was the first person on either team to score in double figures with 12 points.

At the end of the first, LA was up by five. 

Luka goes to his right.
Luka creates separation.
Luka sinks the three.

He's got a game-high 12 PTS as we head into Q2! pic.twitter.com/EMd9V7LeT6

— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2026

Grayson Allen knocked down a 3-pointer to open the second period. Marcus Smart was fouled from behind the arc and converted on two of the three free throws. Phoenix jumped ahead by four on a 10-2 scoring run. Reaves scored on a jumper to stop the bleeding for LA. 

At the 7:18 mark, the Suns were up by two. 

Jalen Green drained a 3-pointer, which was followed by a Laker turnover that led to another triple by O’Neale, forcing a timeout as LA quickly found itself down double digits.

Phoenix’s Mark Williams picked up his fourth foul of the half, sitting him down the rest of the way. 

Phoenix leads 45-35 after a recent rough stretch from LA; Suns are 9 for 18 from 3, and LA 1 for 10.

PHX also +3 on the offensive glass.

Four PF's on Mark Williams at the 4:37 mark of the 2nd Q, so he'll sit.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 27, 2026

The Lakers put together a good end to the half with an 8-0 scoring run to take a two-point lead until Allen converted on a layup to tie the game at halftime.

LA started the third period scoring seven straight points, which forced the Suns to call a timeout. Out of that break, Phoenix missed and LeBron scored on the other end. 

Los Angeles was on a 25-6 run dating back to the first half. 

Deandre Ayton finally scored his first two points of the night on a lob from Luka to put the Lakers up 11. Allen drained a 3-pointer, helping the Suns finally get a shot to go in. LeBron responded by joining Luka in double figures with 13 points. 

At the 5:07 mark, the purple and gold were up by 12. 

Phoenix snatched the momentum with 10 straight points in under two minutes to make it a two-point game as Allen drained back-to-back triples in the run. He then knocked down another one to tie the game. The threes kept falling for Phoenix, keeping them in the lead despite Luka knocking down one as well. 

Going into the fourth quarter, the game was tied. 

Third quarter: Lakers 80, Suns 80

This has been a game of wild runs. After a brilliant start to the half, the Lakers were crushed 22-10 over the final 4:30. For a team coming off a couple of disappointing losses, their energy and focus has been too inconsistent. Luka has 32/8/7.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 27, 2026

The final frame started with Jaxson Hayes dunking the ball. On the other end, Ryan Dunn drained a triple for the Suns. Kennard scored a quick four in a row for LA. The Suns then went up by 10.

LA left Collin Gillespie open two different times from behind the arc and he drained both. Los Angeles was stumbling and fumbling around, losing all its focus. 

Smart drained a 3-pointer to stop some of the bleeding for the Lakers. Gillespie then responded with another triple. This game was completely taken over by the Suns. Smart completed a three-point play, proving to be the only Laker playing hard in the quarter. 

Luka converted on a three-point play after a great defensive play by Smart. At the 2:57 mark it was a two-point game after back-to-back triples from Luka. Gillespie responded with one himself on the other end. 

LaRavia came up big in crunch time with four points, helping keep Los Angeles in it. At the 1:29 mark, it was a three-point Suns lead.

Reaves tied the game with a 3-pointer. O’Neale’s offensive rebound off an Allen miss, put the Suns back up by two. 

With 22 seconds left, LeBron’s putback of a Smart missed layup tied it again. O’Neale knocked down a clutch triple that put Phoenix up by three with 0.9 seconds. 

The Lakers had a chance to tie it as a great out of bounds play got Reaves an open look to tie, but his shot missed.

Key Player Stats

Luka finished with 41 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals. Reaves notched 14 points with three rebounds and two assists. LeBron ended with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Hayes had six points with eight rebounds. LaRavia pitched in with 11 points. Kennard scored eight points with three rebounds. Smart ended with 13 points and three assists. 

The Lakers’ next matchup will be against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at 5:30 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.