Lakers Vs Suns: Doncic’s 41 Can't Stop Royce O’Neale’s Last-Second Triple in 113-110 Phoenix Win
In Phoenix, the lakers vs suns matchup finished in dramatic fashion as the Suns beat the Lakers 113-110 when Royce O'Neale drilled a three with ninth-tenths of a second left. The loss deepened a string of agonizing defeats for Los Angeles despite Luka Doncic’s 41-point effort.
Lakers Vs Suns: How the decisive sequence unfolded
The final minute was chaotic. The Lakers tied the game twice in the last 60 seconds, first on a three by Austin Reaves and then on a LeBron James tip-in, with James finishing the night with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. With 22. 7 seconds remaining the score was even, and Phoenix pushed the ball into Grayson Allen’s hands. Allen drove past Doncic, and when Doncic and James collided and fell, Allen found Collin Gillespie, who swung the ball to a wide-open Royce O'Neale. O'Neale’s shot settled cleanly and gave Phoenix the lead with just ninth-tenths of a second remaining.
Late-game design and the Lakers’ final possession
On the Lakers’ last play, Marcus Smart inbounded while James and Maxi Kleber set a double-screen to free Austin Reaves. Reaves floated to the corner, received a cross-court pass and launched a three as the horn sounded, but the shot bounced off the rim. Reaves, who went five-for-12 from the field and two-for-five from three, summed it up simply: "Just missed. " After the game he said the team’s level of frustration was "Very high. "
Doncic’s 41-point effort and the fourth-quarter rally
Down 12 in the fourth, the Lakers rallied largely because Luka Doncic took over. He hit back-to-back threes during the comeback and finished with 41 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. The team forced a clutch situation—the Lakers have been an NBA-best 16-5 in clutch games this season—but still couldn’t finish on top.
Mounting losses and recent context for Los Angeles
The defeat marked the Lakers’ third straight loss, the third time this season they’ve endured a three-game skid. They had been blown out by the Boston Celtics on Sunday and then lost by one at home to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, a game in which Doncic passed up a three and fed LeBron James for a hurried, last-second three that missed.
Phoenix’s shooting, roster strain and individual performances
Phoenix converted 22 of 50 attempts from three-point range, a barrage the Lakers could not contain despite facing an injury-depleted Suns roster. The Suns were missing All-Star guard Devin Booker (right hip strain), Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture) and Jordan Goodwin (left calf strain). Off the bench, Grayson Allen finished with 28 points and six assists, and Collin Gillespie contributed 21 points as Phoenix improved to 34-26. The Lakers fell to 34-24.
Coaching comments and player reactions
Coach JJ Redick acknowledged the sting of the loss, noting that the team’s defeats feel louder because they are the Lakers and because of how those losses have unfolded. He described the game as a one-possession clutch contest and observed that the team has lost a few of those tight games even though they have been strong in clutch situations most of the year. A two-time national college coach of the year and 2019 NCAA champion said helping the Lakers in any way he can is exciting, reflecting outside interest in contributing to a team under pressure.
Luka Doncic pointed to Phoenix’s volume of long-range attempts—50 threes—as a decisive factor, noting stretches when the Suns’ ball movement and shooting overcame periods when the Lakers were more physical and disruptive.
The game underscored both the Lakers’ resilience and their current vulnerability in late moments. With three straight losses and growing frustration inside the locker room, the narrow defeat in Phoenix added another painful chapter to Los Angeles’ season.
