Lakers Vs Suns: Suns 113-110 Lakers (Feb 26, 2026) Game Recap
In a late, furious push that fell just short, the lakers vs suns meeting on Feb 26, 2026 ended with a 113-110 Phoenix victory. Royce O’Neale’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 0. 9 seconds left sealed the loss for Los Angeles at the Mortgage Matchup Center.
Late rally falls short
Luka Dončić led a second-half surge that nearly erased a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, including two clutch 3s late in the fourth, and the Lakers executed a near-perfect play with the time remaining. An elevator screen set by LeBron James and Maxi Kleber freed Austin Reaves for a clean corner look, but the shot rimmed out at the buzzer and overtime was denied. Royce O’Neale’s go-ahead 3 with 0. 9 seconds left sealed the 113-110 result and handed the Lakers their third straight loss.
Perimeter shooting and rebounds
The damage for Los Angeles began earlier when Phoenix built separation with perimeter shooting. The Suns knocked down 22 3-pointers—double the Lakers’ total—on 44% shooting, hitting open shots from deep when they needed them most. Phoenix also snagged 15 offensive rebounds, which led to 14 second-chance points and helped the Suns outhustle and outwork the Lakers despite missing two of their most productive players, Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks.
Key individual performances
Dončić finished with a game-high 41 points on 12 of 21 shooting with eight rebounds and eight assists, powering the late L. A. charge. LeBron James finished with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. Off the Phoenix bench, Grayson Allen had a team-high 28 points, supplying six 3s, while Gillespie poured in six 3s overall and made four of those in the fourth quarter. Gillespie hit a crucial 3 down the stretch after Dončić’s shot drew a foul reaction, finishing with 21 points in 31 minutes.
Lakers Vs Suns in Phoenix
The Suns’ energy and execution stretched a lead that the Lakers could not fully overcome. The Lakers’ climb in the final six minutes was fueled by Dončić and an all-around effort from the rest of the group, but inconsistent energy throughout the game left them unable to maintain the same intensity from start to finish. Coach JJ Redick reflected on the close finish, saying, "Tonight was a one-possession clutch game. Now, we've lost a few of those, but we've been great for the most part in the clutch all year. " The quote underscored how narrow the margin was in Phoenix.
Standings and upcoming schedule
The loss dropped the Lakers to 34-24 and left them gradually being pushed closer to the play-in spot. They remain No. 6 in the Western Conference but sit one game away from falling to seventh, where the Suns stand. The Lakers have lost five of their last seven games. Los Angeles now heads to San Francisco for the first time this season at Chase Center in their third matchup against the Golden State Warriors; then L. A. will play seven of its following eight games at home.
The sequence of events—from Phoenix’s early perimeter surge, through Dončić’s berserk second-half performance and the Lakers’ final play that rimmed out, to O’Neale’s 0. 9-second buzzer-beating 3—defined a 113-110 game that tightened the Western Conference picture for both teams.
