"Doncic scored 20 points in the first quarter -- the third time in the past four games he scored 20 or more in the opening frame -- and L.A. was tied with Phoenix, 31-31. Then things went downhill. Doncic committed four turnovers in the second quarter -- and Austin Reaves committed four of his five turnovers, too -- as the Suns outscored the Lakers 35-21 to break the game open."
"Lakers coach JJ Redick said Suns center Mark Williams -- whom, coincidentally, the Lakers traded for last February before rescinding the deal with the Charlotte Hornets -- was the key to Phoenix making it difficult on Doncic. "In terms of the scheme, they never went to any sort of blitz or shock or anything like that," Redick said. "Mark Williams did a great job of just being big. He's got the second-highest standing reach in the NBA. So whether it was post-up, whether it was an off-ball thing, whether it was pick-and-roll, he just was in the middle of the paint the whole time.""
The Lakers' seven-game win streak ended with a 125-108 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Luka Doncic scored 20 points in the first quarter but committed nine turnovers, tying his career high. All nine turnovers resulted in steals for the Suns, the most live-ball turnovers by any player this season according to ESPN Research. The Suns outscored the Lakers 35-21 in the second quarter, when Doncic had four turnovers and Austin Reaves had four of his five turnovers. Mark Williams anchored Phoenix's defense with exceptional length and paint presence, disrupting scoring and creation.
Read at ESPN.com
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