Kevin Durant returns: Phoenix Suns crush Los Angeles Lakers

The Phoenix Suns celebrated the return of Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant with a convincing 127-100 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Both players, who had been out with left calf injuries, scored 23 points each in a game where the team displayed its best version after a streak of five consecutive losses. Devin Booker led the offense with 26 points and 10 assists, being instrumental in the Suns' dominance in the match.

Beal, who had missed the last five games, was precise in scoring 10 out of 15 attempts, including 3 of 6 three-pointers. Durant, after sitting out seven games, also made clear his impact on the team. Meanwhile, Jusuf Nurkic contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale added from the bench, helping to build an insurmountable lead in the second half.

The Lakers could not

The Lakers, led by Anthony Davis with 25 points and 15 rebounds, and LeBron James, who recorded 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists, competed evenly during the first half. However, the third quarter made the difference, with the Suns outscoring the Angelinos 36-18 in that stretch. Booker scored 11 points and Nurkic 10 during a run that defined the game. The Lakers, who have been greatly outscored in the third quarters of their recent games, once again faltered in this crucial period.

D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves contributed with 16 and 15 points respectively, but the team struggled with their shooting from the perimeter, hitting only 23.5% of their three-point attempts. This result extends the Lakers' losing streak to three games.

The key moment came in a 14-2 run by the Suns in the third quarter, where Booker scored three consecutive baskets to extend the lead to 86-72. Phoenix showed that with Durant on the court, the team performs at a higher level, as evidenced by their 9-1 record with him in the lineup.

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