Image via: Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images

Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal made an impressive return to lead the Phoenix Suns past the Los Angeles Lakers in a thrilling NBA Cup duel. Their performances were crucial to the Suns’ victory. The action-packed games added to the intensity of the tournament and the outstanding performances from the league’s top stars set the stage for an exciting next round.

The Suns defeated the Lakers 109-105

The Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker scored 33 points and Kevin Durant added 30 as the team defeated the Lakers 109-105. Despite a strong 83-76 lead at the start of the fourth period, the Lakers could not hold on and had to face their first loss of the season.

Durant’s back-to-back jumpers gave the Suns a 105-101 lead with 2:17 left. Lakers star LeBron James cut the lead to 105-104 with a 3-pointer, but was never able to regain the lead. Anthony Davis scored 29 points, but the Suns overcame an 18-point deficit to secure the win.
It was a challenging evening for Jusuf Nurkic, who only scored two points in 15 minutes of play. This came after his outstanding performance in the previous game where he scored 18 points and 14 rebounds in a win over the Mavericks.
As for the Lakers, their early surge was notable, but James didn’t even attempt a shot as the team built an 18-point lead. Anthony Davis continued to shine as the primary offensive weapon, shooting 12 of 24 and adding 15 rebounds. However, it was a tough night for James, who struggled with his shot, only making three of 14 shots from the field.
The Suns and Lakers are both 2-1 in group play, with each team still having one game remaining. The Lakers, who won the inaugural edition of the event last year, will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.
The Suns host the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. Although the Suns currently hold a slight lead in the standings, the group is still wide open as both teams head into their final meetings. It was actually a big loss for the Lakers and a wonderful win for the Phoenix Suns. Durant’s return to the team gave them a strong game advantage and will continue to do so in future games in the league.