Making History Again! James Reaches 12,000-Point Milestone, Dončić Scores 41+8+8, Lakers Suffer Buzzer-Beater Loss to Suns

On February 27, during the 25-26 NBA regular season, the Suns edged out the Lakers 113-110 with a buzzer-beater. James contributed 15 points, reaching over 12,000 points in his Lakers career and moving into 10th place on the team's all-time scoring list. O'Neal sealed the victory with a last-second shot.

Game Progress

The Suns started strong, executing efficiently on offense and building an early lead with a scoring run. When Dunn and Gillespie hit consecutive three-pointers, the Suns led 17-9 by 8 points. Dončić then took charge for the Lakers, driving inside and outside to score continuously, leading a 12-0 surge to overturn the deficit and take the lead. Although Allen made a three-pointer near the end of the quarter, Kennard quickly responded with a layup. The first quarter ended with the Lakers ahead by 5 points. In the second quarter, the Suns opened with back-to-back threes to regain the lead. The Lakers attempted a comeback, but the Suns maintained their hot shooting with Jalen Green and O'Neal hitting threes, extending their advantage to 10 points. Later, Dončić scored through free throws and three-pointers while assisting Reaves for a three, sparking another scoring run for the Lakers to regain control. The first half concluded tied at 49-49, with Dončić scoring 18 points and James limited to 5 points.

After halftime, Dončić again led the Lakers' offense, scoring repeatedly and assisting James and Ayton, fueling an 11-0 run. The Suns gradually found their rhythm with consecutive threes, but the Lakers continued their accurate shooting as Reaves and James scored in turn, making it 70-58. However, the Lakers then went cold, allowing the Suns to capitalize with inside and outside scoring for a 14-2 run to tie the game. Toward the end of the quarter, both teams exchanged baskets. The third quarter ended tied at 80-80. In the final quarter, the Suns unleashed full three-point firepower with a 16-6 run to build a 10-point lead. Later, Dončić scored consistently to keep the Lakers in contention, and when James made a put-back, the score was tied at 110-110. In the closing seconds, O'Neal hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer with 0.9 seconds left. The Lakers' final attempt to score was unsuccessful.

Starting Lineups

Lakers: Dončić, James, Reaves, Ayton, Smart

Suns: O'Neal, Dunn, Gillespie, Williams, Green