LOS ANGELES — After three straight losses to start April and the confidence surrounding the Lakers' shot with their star backcourt down, Los Angeles has turned their momentum around behind 41-year-old LeBron James.
James flirted with another triple-double, posting 28 points, six rebounds and 12 assists in the Lakers' 101-73 win over the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
“I had to tap back into a role that I was accustomed to in the past," James said. "I’m just trying to feed off my teammates."
The win, along with a Rockets loss to the Timberwolves, secured home-court advantage for the Lakers in the first round of the postseason.
The Lakers' 73 points allowed to the Suns were the least amount of points they have given up all year.
“I thought the whole game our defense was really physical; outside of a couple mishaps, I thought we talked pregame a lot about just being able to execute our coverages," Coach JJ Redick said. "I think our guys did a great job of that and they did it with physicality.”
The Suns' highest scorer was 12 points, which was Dillon Brooks, who was booed on every possession and play he was involved in.
Luke Kennard continued anchoring down as the Lakers' point guard with 19 points, while Marcus Smart had six points, five rebounds and seven assists in his return from a nine-game absence.
WHERE THEY STAND
The Lakers push to 52-29 and remain No. 4 in the Western Conference behind the Denver Nuggets, who beat the Thunder on Friday.
With a win in their last game of the season and a Nuggets loss, the Lakers can clinch the No. 3 seed. The Nuggets will face the Spurs in their last games of the season.
THE GAME-CHANGER
With 1:14 left in the third quarter, James took flight with a breakaway dunk to put the Lakers up 79-60. It was a staple of how most of the night went for the Lakers, getting 27 assists on 35 of their made field goals and having their biggest lead of 29 points.
The Suns, on the other hand, struggled throughout the contest without their top scorer, Devin Booker. Phoenix shot 33.8% from the field and 17.5% from 3; even adding those percentages would be as high as the Lakers' 50.7% overall from the field.
The one area the Lakers struggled with, which helped the Suns stay close in the opening quarter, was on the glass.
The Suns at one point were outrebounding the Lakers from the offensive glass, having 10 to the Lakers' seven total.
Phoenix had 21 points, a second-chance point at halftime, because of their control of the offensive glass. But the Lakers anchored down with just six second-chance points and six offensive boards in the second half.
THE GAMEBREAKER
In year '23, James continued his quest against Father Time with his second straight game, lifting the Lakers to victory. He delivered multiple dunks and even wicked behind-the-back and no-look passes, as he now has 38 assists in the last three games.
Breakaway dunk from LeBron
— Carlos Yakimowich (@CarlosYakJr) April 11, 2026
He’s got 27 points (8 assists) on 10 of 12 shooting.
🚀 #Lakers pic.twitter.com/Di8BCk9yFy
In the first quarter, after notching his second assist of the game, James surpassed 12k career assists, remaining fourth on the all-time assists list. He is 82 assists away from passing Jason Kidd, sitting with 12,010 assists.
In the three games since Doncic and Reaves went out, James is averaging 28 points, 12.7 assists, and 7.7 rebounds while shooting 60% overall (46.2% from 3).
NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE
The Lakers will play their final game at home on Sunday against the Utah Jazz.