The Los Angeles Lakers finally ended their four-game losing streak with a big 107-96 win over the Phoenix Suns at the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night. What made this victory even more special was that Luka Dončić stepped up as the leader, guiding the team to victory without LeBron James.
The Lakers’ victory improved their record to 41-25, but it wasn’t enough to boost their standing in the Western Conference. With LeBron James still sidelined due to a groin injury, fans were on edge, wondering if the team could pull off a win without him.
Surprisingly, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves didn’t let the crowd feel LeBron’s absence from the start this time. Dončić made an impact right away, scoring 13 points in the first quarter alone and out-scoring the entire Suns team 13-11. He hit three three-pointers early on and kept up the momentum throughout the game.
Luka Doncic & Austin Reaves were cooking Suns today 🔥🔥
— Halftime Hoops (@_halftimehoops) March 16, 2025
Doncic: 33 PTS | 11 REB | 8 AST | +16
Reaves: 28 PTS | 6 AST | 4 REB | +14
Austin Reaves is averaging 28.4 PPG, 8.7 APG, 6.7 RPG in the 7 games without LeBron James including the win today pic.twitter.com/wlGeLVNrJv
He wrapped up the game with an impressive 33 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. The effort marked his seventh 30-point game in just 14 appearances with the Purple and Gold, proving he’s consistently delivering big performances.
Austin Reaves also stepped up, scoring 28 points and giving strong support to Luka. He is averaging 28.4 PPG, 8.7 APG, and 6.7 RPG in the 7 games without LeBron James including the win today.
JJ Redick offers positive update on LeBron James’ injury
LeBron James recently had his first on-court workout since getting hurt. Before the game against the Phoenix Suns, head coach JJ Redick shared some good news about LeBron’s recovery from his groin strain. He said LeBron is “ramping up” his activity and is now considered day-to-day.
JJ Redick on Hayes/Hachimura/LeBron, possibly returning within the next week, whether it’s two days or 7: “They’re all very close to returning.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 15, 2025
Redick said the team is being careful to make sure LeBron fully recovers, especially because of his age and the type of injury. He also sounded hopeful that the team will bounce back once LeBron and other injured players like Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes are back. He mentioned they are very close to returning.
