Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers preview, Digi Mart USA News (Phoenix, Arizona): The Phoenix Suns (5-6) host the Los Angeles Lakers (11-2) on Sunday, November 15, at 2:00 p.m. at Mortgage Matchup Center in a regular-season game between two teams currently on hot runs.
The Suns have won four of their last five games, while the Lakers are riding a seven-game winning streak, according to the Suns on SI preview.
The Lakers have made a strong start after losing LeBron James this offseason and building a new-look roster around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Reaves has been ruled out against Phoenix with a bruised left heel.
The preview notes that Doncic is leading the league with 38.6 points per game, along with 7.6 assists and 7.5 rebounds, and is shooting a career-best 40.8% from three-point range.
Phoenix has struggled with its four-man lineup of Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges, which has a minus-21.2 net rating in 168 minutes together. Booker, however, has averaged 27.4 points, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 39.6% from three-point range over the last seven games, and the bench has helped the Suns turn recent results around.
Suns forward Ryan Dunn and guard Jordan Goodwin discussed the challenge of defending Doncic after Saturday’s practice, emphasizing limiting his free throws and three-point attempts. The Suns will also look to use their pressure defense, which forced 27 turnovers in Thursday’s 101-96 win over the Charlotte Hornets, against a Lakers offense that averages 16.9 turnovers per game.
Collin Sexton (right orbital laceration) and Adou Thiero (left ankle sprain) are listed as questionable for Phoenix. The information comes from a Suns on SI preview written by staff writer Brendan Mau and has not been independently verified.
