LA Lakers secure season’s first victory by defeating Phoenix Suns

The Los Angeles Lakers notched their inaugural win of the season with the leadership of 'King' LeBron James, who played a pivotal role in the game.

In the 2023-2024 NBA home game on Friday, the Lakers emerged victorious with a final score of 100-95 against the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers, who had previously suffered a 107-119 defeat in their season opener against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, secured their first win of the season on their home court.

The showdown between two basketball superstars, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, garnered significant attention. LeBron James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer and a four-time regular season MVP, faced off against Durant, who earned the regular season MVP honors for the 2013-2014 season.

On that day, Kevin Durant had an outstanding performance, scoring 39 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, while LeBron James contributed with 21 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. During the game, James performed remarkably, scoring 11 points through the first three quarters and then exploding for 10 points in the fourth quarter. In a pivotal moment, he scored eight crucial points with approximately three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter when the game was tied at 87-87, significantly influencing the outcome.

The Lakers, which had been trailing by 12 points against Phoenix through the third quarter, executed a remarkable comeback to secure the win. Kevin Durant, on the other hand, scored six points in the last minute of the game but faced difficulties, missing three field goals and committing two errors, which allowed the momentum of the game to shift in favor of the Lakers.

The Milwaukee Bucks secured a narrow victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, winning by just one point with a final score of 118-117. The traded guard Damien Lillard was the standout performer, scoring 39 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo also played a significant role in Milwaukee's triumph, contributing 23 points and 13 rebounds.


Bae-Jung Kim wanted@donga.com