Due to a lack of defense and an offense that couldn’t make 3-point shots, the Lakers lost their third straight game on Tuesday, falling to the Suns 127-100.

It was their first ever NBA Cup loss, seriously jeopardizing their chances of a trip to Las Vegas and a repeat.

More importantly, they were a step or two below the Suns, just like they were against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.

At 10-7, they’re dropping games against teams over .500 at an alarming rate, and if things don’t change soon, they’ll soon be back at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Okay, that’s enough doom and gloom for now.

Let’s dive into loss. As always, grades are based on each player’s expectations. The grade “B” represents the average performance of that player.

Rui Hachimura

23 minutes, 7 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 3-8 FG, 1-4 3PT, -10

This wasn’t a great Rui game. He was constantly beaten defensively, struggled from 3-point range, and contributed next to nothing on the glass. Now, most of the Lakers’ players struggled in these areas of the game as well, but Hachimura was part of the problem in Phoenix rather than the solution.

If he wants to remain a regular on this team, he has to do more.

Grade: C

LeBron James

35 minutes, 18 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 7-16 FG, 2-7 3PT, 2-2 FT, -30

It turns out that Father Time can’t stop LeBron James, but indifference can. This was another sloppy, disinterested game from LeBron. He was sloppy in basketball, had five turnovers and seemed interested in fighting back when the Suns went on a run in the third quarter.

There is a pace and a quiet surrender, the latter of which LeBron flirts with far too much.

Grade: C-

Anthony Davis

35 minutes, 25 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 4 blocks, 10-19 FG, 0-2 3PT, 5-7 FT, -24

This game was a nice boost for AD. He was a monster on the glass and scored well in the paint. He was one of the few, if not the only Lakers player with good defense and managed six blocks.

This team has a lot of problems to solve, but luckily Davis isn’t one of them.

Grade: B+

Cam Reddish

23 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 0-3 FG, 0-1 3PT, +1

Reddish missed a few good performances that could have helped the Lakers’ offense, but overall he played his role. His job on this team is to be a solid defender and do the dirty work, and he has done that at a respectable level.

Grade: C-

Austin Reaves

31 minutes, 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 6-12 FG, 2-6 3PT, 1-1 FT, -16

Reaves had a good first half, scoring 12 points and going 5-6 from the field. After that, he collapsed, missing one jumper after another in the second half and having no impact on the game.

It’s been a while since Reaves has put together a full night of good basketball, and the Lakers need him to run like a fish needs water.

Grade: D+

D’Angelo Russell

29 minutes, 16 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 5-13 FG, 1-6 3PT, 5-8 FT, -23

On the bright side, Russell was able to contribute offensively, scoring 16 points off the bench. However, he still gives up good looks on three goals and shoots poorly on the shots he does take.

One of his biggest strengths last season was his 3-point shooting, but this year he’s averaging 28% from long range and went 1-6 from distance against the Suns.

It’s clear that this offense isn’t predicated on his ability to lead a unit and fend off pick-and-rolls, but he needs to figure out how to get his shot back or it will become increasingly difficult to justify giving him so many minutes.

Grade: C

Dalton Knecht

20 minutes, 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2-7 FG, 1-4 3PT, 2-3 FT, -20

While fans are clamoring for Knecht to remain in the starting lineup, this performance in Phoenix was a mixed bag. He struggled to get a look at the basket, hitting just one three-pointer and making his other field goal after a wonderful lob from LeBron.

This was a mediocre game during an ugly loss. Redick has to find the balance between giving the rookie enough time while not overwhelming him, but it looks like his best moments definitely come when he’s working with the other starters.

Grade: C

Max Christie

14 minutes, 2 points, 1 assist, 1 block, 1-1 FG, -9

Given the reserves’ major struggles, it’s nice to see Christie back in the rotation. It would be even better if he had a bigger impact on the game. He made just one shot, didn’t grab any rebounds and essentially got in a good cardio workout during his 14 minutes of play.

During his pregame media release, Redick mentioned that Christie and Gabe Vincent are fighting for the ninth and final rotation spot. Based on this performance, Christie hasn’t quite done enough to undoubtedly secure this position.

Grade: C-

Jaxson Hayes

17 minutes, 7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 2-2 FG, 3-4 FT, -8

Hayes during his first game back from an ankle injury. He missed a few passes, failed to rebound, and looked awkward and lost, similar to how he played far too often last season.

The worst part about this disgusting sundae was that Hayes injured his ankle in the final minutes of this disastrous defeat. He had to be helped off the field as he was unable to put any weight on the ankle he was recovering from.

Something tells me it won’t improve in time for a game against Spurs that starts in less than 24 hours.

Grade: D

Gabe Vincent

14 minutes, 3 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block +4

Considering what a bad Vincent game looks like, this wasn’t terrible. That’s not nearly enough to justify 14 minutes of playing time, but hey, Vincent is low on the priority list of things that went wrong for the Lakers in this loss.

Grade: C-

Christian Koloko

No grade for Koloko as he only played the last minute of this game due to Hayes’ absence.

JJ Redick

How much blame do you place on a coach when the staff can’t execute a game plan? It’s hard to blame Redick for these losses, but he’s in charge and the responsibility starts at the top.

He won’t take much damage right now, but if this team continues to be one of the worst defenses in the NBA, he’ll have to eat it up.

Grade: C-

Inactive on Tuesday: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Bronny James, Quincy Olivari, Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood, Maxwell Lewis, Armel Traore

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.