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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider LeBron drills late free throws as Lakers hold off Suns

LeBron drills late free throws as Lakers hold off Suns

Published Dec 15, 2025 01:28 pm

At A Glance

  • PHOENIX (AP) — LeBron James made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left, Luka Doncic scored 29 points and the Los Angeles Lakers recovered from blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter to top the Phoenix Suns, 116-114, on Sunday night, Dec. 14.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
PHOENIX (AP) — LeBron James made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left, Luka Doncic scored 29 points and the Los Angeles Lakers recovered from blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter to top the Phoenix Suns, 116-114, on Sunday night, Dec. 14.
Phoenix trailed 99-79 with 7:48 left, but took a 114-113 lead with 12.2 seconds left on Dillon Brooks' 3-pointer over James, who made contact with Brooks after the shot. Brooks bumped James on the way back down the court, earning his second technical foul and an ejection.
More importantly, it gave the Lakers a free throw, but James missed it.
On the ensuing possession, James was fouled on a 3-point attempt by Devin Booker with 3.9 seconds left. The 40-year-old James — who finished with 26 points — missed the first free throw but made the final two to give the Lakers a 115-114 lead.
Phoenix's Grayson Allen got up an awkward shot at the buzzer, but it was off the mark.
Jaxson Hayes threw down a powerful dunk over Phoenix's Oso Ighodaro to give the Lakers a 79-77 lead with 2:24 left in the third quarter. It was part of a 24-0 run over an eight-minute span in the third and fourth quarters that ended with a 95-77 advantage.
Lakers center Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 13 rebounds against his former team. Ayton played his first five NBA seasons in Phoenix after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2018.
Los Angeles had a season-high 24 offensive rebounds, which helped offset a tough shooting night. Doncic was 7 of 25 from the field, including 2 of 14 from 3-point range.
Booker led the Suns with 27 points, returning to the lineup after missing three games with a groin injury. The four-time All-Star made 13 of 16 free throws.
The Suns have lost six of their last nine.
Meanwhile in Portland, Jerami Grant and Shaedon Sharpe scored 35 points apiece and the Trail Blazers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 136-131 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
Stephen Curry had 48 points for the Warriors. He hit a season-high 12 3-pointers, the NBA-leading 28th time he's had 10 or more in a game.
In a back-and-fourth final quarter, Toumani Camara's alley oop dunk from Donovan Clingan tied it or the Blazers at 121, but Curry answered with a 3-pointer and a layup.
Portland went up 127-126 but again Curry came back with a 3. Grant's basket and free throw gave Portland a one-point lead and Deni Avdija added a pair of free throws with 19.9 seconds left to stretch it to 132-129.
Moses Moody dunked to get the Warriors to 134-131 with 13.2 seconds to go but Grant's free throws pushed the lead to 136-131. Grant finished with a season-high seven 3-pointers.
Curry was playing in his second game after missing five straight with a left quadriceps contusion. He scored 39 points in Golden State's 127-120 loss at home to Minnesota on Friday night.
Draymond Green started for Golden State after missing the game against the Timberwolves for personal reasons. He missed two games before that with a right foot sprain.
Portland led by 34-23 late in the opening quarter after Caleb Love's 3-pointer, but the Warriors closed the gap and took a 62-61 lead into halftime.
Curry made back-to-back 3-pointers that stretched Golden State's lead to 79-70 in the third quarter, their biggest lead of the game to that point.
Green had eight turnovers, including four in the third quarter, and was called for a technical foul.
The game was added to the schedule when both the Blazers and Warriors were eliminated from the NBA Cup.
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