PHOENIX (AP) — LeBron James made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left, Luka Doncic scored 29 points and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied from a 20-point fourth-quarter lead to top the Phoenix Suns 116-114 on Sunday night.
Phoenix trailed 99-79 with 7:48 left but led 114-113 with 12.2 seconds left on Dillon Brooks' 3-pointer over James, who made contact with Brooks after the shot. Brooks hit James on his way back, earning him a second technical foul and an ejection.
More importantly, it gave the Lakers a free throw, but James missed it.
On the ensuing possession, James was fouled by Devin Booker on a 3-point attempt with 3.9 seconds left. James, 40, who scored 26 points, missed his first free throw but hit his final two to give the Lakers a 115-114 lead.
Phoenix's Grayson Allen made a clumsy shot at the buzzer, but it didn't go as planned.
Jackson Hayes dunked over Phoenix's Oso Ighodaro to give the Lakers a 79-77 lead with 2:24 left in the third quarter. It was part of a 24-0 run over eight minutes in the third and fourth quarters that ended with a 95-77 lead.
Lakers center Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 13 rebounds against his former team. Ayton spent his first five NBA seasons in Phoenix after being drafted No. 1 overall in 2018.
Los Angeles grabbed a season-high 24 offensive rebounds to help offset their poor shooting. Doncic was 7 of 25 from the field, including 2 of 14 from the 3-point line.
Booker led the Suns with 27 points, returning to the lineup after missing three games with a groin injury. The four-time All-Star made 13 of 16 free throws.
The Suns have lost six of their last nine games.
Next
Lakers: At Utah on Thursday night.
Suns: Host Golden State on Thursday night.
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