Suns explode for 40-point quarter in 120-101 win over Lakers

With Dragic long gone after a February trade, Bledsoe’s first full season as Phoenix’s longest tenured guard is already shaping up to be a career year, and keeping it going Monday night against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers might not take much.

T.J. Warren led the reserves with a career-high 19 points, 12 coming in a fourth quarter the Suns dominated, 40-26, to pull away from the Kobe Bryant-less Lakers (2-9) that were coming of a home win against Detroit the night before.

Brandon Knight earned his first career triple-double (30 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds) in the Suns’ easy win over the Lakers on Monday night in Phoenix. “I’m not going to lie, I knew (I needed it)”. “When you see that first one you’ll know”.

Knight’s handles are often underrated, and even as a player he’s somewhat overshadowed by his backcourt mate Eric Bledsoe.

Knight became just the fourth National Basketball Association player to record at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, 15 assists and four steals since the steals statistic became official in 1973-74.

To begin with, the Suns, third place in the Pacific Division, are on a two game winning streak. “But he’s obviously feeling better because he’s driving more”. My back and my legs, it’s killing me.

The Phoenix Suns’ 23-year-old guard-who’s averaging 19.1 points on the young season-is shedding the notion that he’s a blooper reel. Bledsoe was responsible for the Suns’ final nine points of the first half hitting three field goals, including a 3-pointer, and two free throws.

“Knight had a helluva game”. We have to go back and look at the tape, and see how we got better (before).

Hornacek said the last two games showed the firepower the team has with two point guards on the floor. Defensively, get back in transition, stop the ball, do a solid job defending the pick-and-roll play, box out their men, rebound, challenge every shot and immediately rotate out to open shooters. You go with who’s rolling and just kind of let them go. Center Roy Hibbert added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers, who are now 0-6 against the Western Conference.

After the game, Young was nearly on his hands and knees, looking for the back of his earring stud. He found it, eventually, though a phone flashlight had to be played back and forth across the locker-room carpet a few times.

“We’re definitely having them this week”, Scott said. For the Suns, the game seemed to be more fun than anything. They extended the lead to 80-75 after three quarters before taking control in the fourth.

The Lakers maintained the lead through the first quarter as the Suns just didn’t have the fire they needed to withstand Metta’s barrage. However, Lou Williams had the biggest impact for the Lakers, adding 16 points off the bench and bringing the Lakers within 4 with 11:35 left to play. But Knight scored on a bank shot and Archie Goodwin converted a 3-point play to start an 11-3 run capped by a pair of layups by Knight and Warren as Phoenix took a 93-81 lead with 8:42 left.