Royce O’Neale hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds remaining as the Phoenix Suns overcame the Los Angeles Lakers 113-110 at Mortgage Matchup Center on Thursday, February 26. Grayson Allen led Phoenix with 28 points, while Collin Gillespie added 21 points, including four fourth-quarter 3s.
Luka Doncic paced the Lakers with 41 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and LeBron James contributed 15 points and six boards, but Los Angeles could not complete a late comeback after erasing a 12-point deficit. Austin Reaves missed a corner 3 at the buzzer that would have tied the game.
The Lakers opened the second half on an 11-0 run capped by Deandre Ayton’s alley-oop dunk off a Doncic assist to take a 60-49 lead. Phoenix battled back from a 13-point third-quarter deficit, with Allen scoring 16 points in the period and hitting four 3-pointers to keep the Suns in the game.
Gillespie’s four fourth-quarter 3-pointers and O’Neale’s late-game heroics secured the win, as Phoenix shot 44% from the field and made 22 of 50 3-point attempts. The Suns scored over 100 points in regulation for the first time in five games, a notable feat given the absence of their top two scorers who average roughly 45 points combined per game.
Phoenix improved to 34-26, moving to 2-3 since the All-Star break, while the Lakers dropped to 34-24 and will look to bounce back against Golden State on Saturday. The Suns will travel to face the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.
