Conflict erupts! Dillon provokes James and gets ejected, Doncic scores 29+6 as Lakers narrowly defeat Suns

On December 15th Beijing time, during an NBA regular season matchup, the Lakers played away against the Suns. The first half was balanced, but the Lakers unleashed a 24-0 streak from the latter part of the third quarter into the start of the fourth, sealing the victory at 116-114. James scored 26 points with 3 rebounds and 4 assists, Doncic added 29 points, 3 boards, and 6 assists, and Ayton contributed 20 points and 13 rebounds; for the Suns, Booker had 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists, Dillon scored 18 points, and Mawey added 20 points and 6 rebounds. O'Neal scored 12 points and surpassed 1000 career three-pointers, becoming the 9th undrafted player in NBA history to reach this milestone.

In the first quarter, the Lakers scored from multiple players and took a 9-2 lead. Mawey scored several easy baskets inside, while Doncic responded with a floater. Booker, Dunn, and O'Neal hit consecutive shots to tie the game for the Suns. Doncic hit a step-back three, but the Suns immediately answered with a 10-0 run. James made free throws to cut the deficit, and the Lakers trailed 31-36 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Suns kept up their offense and looked to extend their lead to double digits. Ayton dominated inside, but James drove coast-to-coast for a layup that forced a Suns timeout. O'Neal and Dillon hit outside shots, keeping the Suns ahead. Hachimura responded with a long-range shot, and James earned 4 free throws at the end of the quarter to tie the game at 62-62.

In the second half, the Lakers struggled to find their rhythm, scoring only 4 points in the first 5 minutes. During defense on Dillon, Dillon slapped the ball at James, leading to a face-to-face confrontation that drew security’s attention. James then argued with the referees and made physical contact, resulting in a technical foul. The Suns took advantage of the chaos to increase their lead, but Doncic scored and drew fouls to help the Lakers tie the game. Hayes dunked and completed a 2+1 to give the Lakers the lead. James added a layup, and Vincent hit a clutch three-pointer. Later in the quarter, the Lakers went on a 15-0 run to take an 86-77 lead over the Suns.

In the final quarter, the Lakers started with a 9-0 run, extending their lead. After a timeout, Dillon, Booker, and Mawey scored consecutively, threatening to turn the game around, but Doncic’s three-pointer quelled the Suns’ comeback hopes. Booker and Dillon combined to narrow the gap, and Gillespie’s long shot cut it to 2 points. At a critical moment, James made a layup to steady the team, while Allen and Dillon combined for 5 points to put the Suns ahead! However, Dillon provoked James again and was ejected. The Lakers had free throws and the last possession. James missed a free throw, then was fouled on a three-point attempt by Booker; he made 2 of 3 free throws to give the Lakers a 115-114 lead. Smart drew a foul, and the Lakers narrowly defeated the Suns 116-114.

Starting lineups for both teams:

Lakers: James, Hachimura, Ayton, Smart, Doncic

Suns: Allen, Dillon, Williams, Gillespie, Booker