The Los Angeles Lakers have now taken a 2-1 series lead over the Phoenix Suns following their Game 3 win on Thursday.
The Los Angeles Lakers looked like a lost team following their Game 1 defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Suns. Los Angeles bounced back to take Game 2, following strong performances by LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
On Thursday, the Lakers defeated the Suns 109-95 to take a 2-1 series lead. With the Lakers now carrying the momentum, social media had some thoughts following Game 3.
The Lakers take the series lead 😤
— ESPN (@espn) May 28, 2021
AD led the way with 34 Pts and 11 Ast ‼️ pic.twitter.com/DB870cv78K
The Lakers are the first team to win a home playoff game at Staples Center this season
— SB Nation (@SBNation) May 28, 2021
Everyone else is 0-2 pic.twitter.com/sH73rY4iir
IT’S A WRAP
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) May 28, 2021
LAKERS WIN 109-95 AND ARE UP 2-1!!! pic.twitter.com/I44KlgQleL
Bring on the Lakers and the Nets.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) May 28, 2021
“Suns in 6!”
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) May 28, 2021
LeBron and AD: pic.twitter.com/Wh2YXiwlRA
The Suns are down bad.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) May 28, 2021
Suns need to go ahead and get that 1-2-3 Cancun chant ready.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 28, 2021
Every Phoenix Suns fan right now 😕#Suns pic.twitter.com/Ge45Tk8kef
— Suns Geek (@sunsgeek) May 28, 2021
Just hit me that the last Lakers playoff game at Staples Center was the game when Kobe (with the torn Achilles) came out of the locker room on crutches right after Dwight Howard got ejected https://t.co/jCQKXnAmDG
— J.A. Adande (@jadande) May 28, 2021
Lakers defeat Suns in Game 3 to take 2-1 series lead
By the start of the fourth quarter, it appeared as though the Lakers had the win in the bag. But a plethora of missed shots and turnovers by Los Angeles helped bring Phoenix back within eight points with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. Yet, the Lakers fended off a late comeback and secured the series lead.
Davis once again silenced the doubters following a dreadful Game 1, as he balled out on Thursday night. In 40 minutes, Davis scored 34 points while shooting 11-for-22 from the field and 12-for-14 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed 11 rebounds. As for James, he tallied 20 points (9-for-19 from the field), 9 assists and 6 rebounds.
As for the Suns, center Deandre Ayton secured a double-double with 22 points (11-for-15 from the field) and 11 rebounds. Devin Booker recorded 19 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.
Game 4 will take place this Sunday, with the Lakers looking to take a 3-1 series lead, while the Suns look to even the series. It will be interesting to see if there will be any physicality between both teams on Sunday afternoon, based off how the third contest of the series ended on Thursday night.