Honestly, if you missed the latest Suns Lakers game, you missed one of those weird NBA nights where the box score looks like a typo. Most people tune in for LeBron James or the spectacle of Devin Booker. But that’s not what decided this one.
Phoenix basically strolled into Los Angeles and dismantled a seven-game winning streak. They did it 125-108.
It wasn't just a win; it was a statement that the Western Conference hierarchy is currently in a blender. The Lakers came in hot, looking like the juggernaut everyone expected after their late-December surge. Then, they hit a wall. Or rather, they hit a bench.
The Shocking Depth of the Phoenix Suns
Most experts spent the summer talking about the Kevin Durant trade to Houston. People thought the Suns were gutting their future. Turns out, the "gutting" brought back a haul of role players that are currently terrorizing the league.
You’ve got guys like Dillon Brooks and Collin Gillespie playing with a chip on their shoulder that's the size of Arizona. Brooks poured in 33 points. That’s not a typo. He was the best player on the floor for long stretches. Gillespie? He’s a guy most casual fans couldn’t pick out of a lineup, yet he dropped 28, with 16 of those coming in a fourth-quarter barrage that turned a close game into a blowout.
The Lakers' defense looked slow. Old, maybe.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis did their thing—they always do—but the Lakers' supporting cast stayed in the locker room. When your bench gets outplayed by a group of "scrappy" acquisitions, you’re going to have a bad night in the West.
Why the Suns' Defense is No Fluke
People keep waiting for the Suns to fall off. They’re 24-15 now and sitting comfortably in the sixth seed. It’s the defense that’s the real story.
- League-leading stats: Since January 1st, they’ve had the No. 1 defensive rating in the NBA.
- Turnover magnets: They’re forcing mistakes at a rate we haven't seen in Phoenix since the early 2000s.
- Grayson Allen's hustle: The dude almost broke his nose diving for a loose ball. That’s the vibe of this team.
The Suns Lakers game showed that Phoenix doesn't need Devin Booker to play 40 minutes to win. Booker actually exited this specific contest early after just 10 minutes, and the team still put up 125 points. If you told a Suns fan three years ago they’d blow out the Lakers in LA with Booker playing less than a quarter, they’d have laughed you out of the building.
What This Means for the Lakers Moving Forward
Look, the Lakers are still 24-14. They’re fine. But this loss exposed a lack of perimeter speed that's going to be a problem in a seven-game series.
The Suns were faster to every 50-50 ball. They moved the rock better (35 assists!). It felt like the Lakers were playing checkers while Phoenix was playing some high-speed version of tag.
If you're a Lakers fan, you're looking at the trade deadline. You have to. This roster is elite at the top but feels thin when a team like Phoenix starts rotating fresh bodies every four minutes. The Suns' current starting lineup is outscoring opponents by nearly 10 points per 100 possessions. That’s elite territory.
The Rivalry is Actually Back
This isn't the 2010s where one team was always rebuilding. This is 1993 or 2006 all over again. These two teams genuinely seem to dislike each other, and the fans are eating it up.
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Every Suns Lakers game this season has felt like a playoff preview. We’ve seen blowouts, we’ve seen two-point thrillers, and we’ve seen Dillon Brooks embrace his role as the ultimate villain in Hollywood.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Parley or Debate
If you’re tracking these teams for the rest of the 2026 season, keep these nuances in mind:
- Watch the Suns' Injury Report: Devin Booker’s ankle is the only thing that can slow this train down. Even though they won this game without him, they need his gravity for the long haul.
- Lakers Perimeter Depth: Monitor how JJ Redick adjusts the rotation. They need more from the guard position to keep up with the Suns' "track meet" style of play.
- The Defensive Rating Trap: Don't bet against the Suns' defense right now. They are consistently holding teams under 105 points, which is rare in this era.
The Western Conference is a bloodbath. Today, Phoenix owns the bragging rights, but with these two teams, the script usually flips by the time the next tip-off rolls around.