The Phoenix Suns’ struggles continued with a 107-96 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and head coach Mike Budenholzer made it clear what the team needs to do. After the game, he emphasized the urgency of securing a play-in spot and improving their performance down the stretch.
“We need to get into the play-in, we need to get into the playoffs and try to do something there,” Budenholzer said, per Duane Rankin. “There’s a lot of talent in our locker room. There’s a lot of fight in our locker room.”
Phoenix (31-37) now sits 1.5 games behind the Dallas Mavericks for the final play-in position. Kevin Durant led the team with 21 points, while Devin Booker added 19, but the Suns struggled offensively, shooting 39.3% from the field and 22% from three-point range.
Luka Doncic fueled the Lakers (41-25) with 33 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, snapping Los Angeles’ four-game skid. Austin Reaves provided 28 points, and Jaxson Hayes matched his season high with 19, helping the Lakers extend their home winning streak to seven games.
The Suns fell behind early, trailing 31-15 after the first quarter, and never fully recovered. Their top three scorers—Durant, Booker, and Bradley Beal—combined for just two made three-pointers on 12 attempts.
Despite a late push that trimmed the deficit to 100-92 with under two minutes left, Phoenix couldn’t complete the comeback. Dorian Finney-Smith’s clutch three-pointer sealed the victory for Los Angeles.
Budenholzer acknowledged the talent on his roster but stressed the need to translate it into results. “We got to get in, and we’ve got to play good basketball and win games, but we’ve got to start winning to get there,” he said.
With 14 games remaining, the Suns must turn things around quickly to keep their postseason hopes alive.
