Booker, Suns crush shorthanded Lakers in first half, cruise to Game 5 win

This game may have been decided before the teams ever took the court, when it became official that Anthony Davis would be out with a groin strain. The Lakers were 1-6 this season against playoff teams when Davis was out but LeBron James played.

Maybe it wouldn’t have mattered the way the Suns played Tuesday night.

Phoenix came out dialed in on offense and moving the ball, plus they connected on defense. The Lakers were passing up good shots they should have taken and were missing the ones they did. Defensively, the Lakers are not nearly the same without their best defender, rim protector, and anchor.

The result was the Lakers trailing by eight after one quarter, then getting outscored 32-10 in the second quarter while shooting 2-of-17. LeBron could not lift the Lakers — he shot 3-of-10 in the first half and was not blowing guys like Mikal Bridges, who he usually overpowers. LeBron was -25 in the first 24 minutes. Devin Booker scored 22 in the half, no Laker was in double figures.

It was 66-36 Suns at the half, and the final 24 minutes felt like a mere formality.

Phoenix won Game 5 handily, 115-85, and took a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 Thursday night in Los Angeles.

Whether Davis can play in that must-win game for the Lakers will be a game-time decision, but LeBron said after the loss, “My mindset is that he’s not going to be able to play in Game 6.” The problem is the Lakers’ roster — which has taken heavy criticism on NBA Twitter — was designed around the versatility Davis brings as a big on both ends. Without him, nothing fits right.

“We’ll find out what we’re made of and we’ll find out how bad we want this,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said of Game 6.

The Suns had their own scary injury moment when Chris Paul appeared to aggravate the shoulder injury that slowed him down for a couple of games this series — the two Suns’ losses — after a run-in with the Lakers’ Wesley Matthews.

Paul left the game but later returned. He said after the game his should was banged up but he would be good to go for Game 6. He also said it was not a dirty play by Matthews; Paul said he had been looking at the ball and didn’t see the contact coming.

In the end Booker had 30, Cameron Payne had 16 off the bench, and every Sun save one scored at least a point (Jevon Carter was 0-of-3).

The NBA Champion Lakers are now one loss away from being bounced in the first round of the playoffs. They are going to come hard in Game 6.

But if Anthony Davis isn’t there, it may not matter.

Check out more on the Lakers

Booker, Suns crush shorthanded Lakers in first half, cruise to Game 5 win originally appeared on NBCSports.com