The Los Angeles Lakers are back at work on Monday night after taking care of business in Saturday’s win against the Golden State Warriors, as they return to the Staples Center to face off against the Phoenix Suns in what is their second-to-last game of the pre-All-Star schedule.
Monday will be the third of four meetings between the Lakers and Suns this season, with the Lakers taking both of the first two meetings. After a start to the season where they became the darlings of the league, playing top-five defense and solid offense, the Suns have plummeted back to Earth.
A 5-10 December saw them slip down the standings and while they did alright in January, they now find themselves 1-4 through the first five games of February. For whatever reason, likely a bit of statistical regression, the Suns are now just a little below average on both sides of the ball. It doesn’t mean they are a sorry team, but they are not the two-way dynamos they were to start the season.
The Suns do have plenty of talent, as well as size in the middle to battle with the Lakers bigs, so it won’t be a walkover. But the Suns aren’t playing with the same swagger they had earlier in the season.
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