Getting even: Phoenix Suns knot series with Game 4 win over Los Angeles Lakers
Lakers #Lakers
The Phoenix Suns got even Sunday afternoon.
With stifling defense and balanced offense, coupled with Anthony Davis missing the second half with a groin injury and Chris Paul playing his best basketball since injuring his right shoulder in Game 1, the Suns knotted this best-of-7 series with a 100-92 Game 4 win over the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.
With Davis out and Paul looking more like the version who was an NBA MVP candidate, Phoenix will return home with huge momentum for Tuesday’s Game 5 as the Suns will have 16,000 capacity at Phoenix Suns Arena.
Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.
Paul scored a team-high 18 points while Devin Booker and Jae Crowder each added 17 as Phoenix had six players reach double figures.
Trailing by as many as 11 in the first half, Phoenix led 54-50 at halftime as Davis injured his left groin on a drive late in the first half.
Davis, who scored 34 points in both Game 2 and Game 3 that ended in wins for the Lakers, came into Game 4 with a left knee sprain.
With Davis out the remainder of the game, the Suns outscored the Lakers, 27-15, in the third quarter in building a 16-point lead.
Phoenix limited Los Angeles to 3-of-16 shooting in the third quarter as the Lakers shot 0-of-7 from 3. The Lakers responded by cutting Phoenix’s 16-point lead to seven and a chance to draw even closer, but Dennis Schroder missed a layup in traffic with 1:31 left.
Crowder answered with a 3 on the other end to put the Suns back up double figures, 98-88, with 1:23 left in the fourth.
Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Getting even: Phoenix Suns knot series with Game 4 win over Los Angeles Lakers