Bradley Beal scores season high as Phoenix Suns dominate Los Angeles Lakers

The Phoenix Suns (20-18) came away with a dominant 127-109 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

Bradley Beal exploded for his season-high 37 points on a spectacular 8-of-10 from 3-point range (14-of-21 FG) to lead Phoenix in its first victory this season over the Pacific Division rival. The Suns lost the previous three games against the Lakers.

Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant combined for 86 points and seven steals for Phoenix, with all three putting on a shooting clinic.

Booker scored 31 on 11-of-22 FG, while Durant added 18 points on 7-of-12. This was a bounce-back win after the Suns were blown out by the L.A. Clippers on Monday, and ended the struggling Lakers' (19-20) minor win streak at two.

Lakers stars LeBron James scored just 10 points, but had a game-high nine assists and added five rebounds. Anthony Davis had 13 points, five rebounds, and two blocks in the loss.

The Suns play the final of their three-game road trip at Portland on Sunday.

Beal, Suns continue rout of Lakers entering 4th

Bradley Beal exploded for 20 of his season-high 31 points as the Suns kept rolling over the Lakers in the third quarter, 105-78.

Beal drained three of his game-high six 3s, and lit up L.A. on 8-of-11 shooting in the third (12-of-19 FG total). Devin Booker is right behind Beal with 29 points, and Kevin Durant has 16 on hitting 6-of-10.

Phoenix had their biggest lead 32 points, leaving the L.A. crowd nearly silent and astounded by the rout.

Booker, Big 3 keep huge lead for Suns into 3rd quarter

Devin Booker is still on fire for the Suns, as they were up 66-52 at halftime. Booker has the game-high 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting. His Big 3 cohorts Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant have 11 and nine points, respectively.

And the Suns continued to maintain that double-digit lead well into the third quarter.

The Suns were up by as much as 17 points again in the second, and scored 17 points off the Lakers' nine turnovers. At the 7:44 mark, Josh Okogie (five points) picked up a loose ball near the right wing on the Suns’ end of the floor, then flushed an emphatic and-one dunk over Lakers’ high-flying big Jaxson Hayes.

Although LeBron James is shooting mediocre (eight points, 2-of-7 FG, six rebounds,), he’s racked up a game-high eight assists. The 39-year-old phenom’s latest dime channeled fellow Lakers great Magic Johnson with a dazzling behind-the-back pass from the top of the key to D’Angelo Russell at 25 seconds left in the half.

Booker, Suns start hot for big 1st quarter-run

Devin Booker ignited the Suns' 36-25 opening period lead with his stellar 6-for-10 shooting for 16 points to lead all scorers.

Phoenix started out hot from deep as Booker, Kevin Durant (five points, three rebounds, and Bradley Beal (six points, three assist) each nailed 3s and shot well from mid-range to start the team’s early run. Phoenix had its biggest lead at 32-15 shortly after the two minute mark as L.A. experienced a field goal drought for about five minutes.

Lakers' Taurean Prince has the current team-high eight points.

Starting lineups

The Suns' opening lineup includes their Big 3 in Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant, plus their usual other starters Grayson Allen and Jusuf Nurkic.

The Lakers will begin with their stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Taurean Prince, Austin Reaves, and Cam Reddish.

LeBron, Davis in for Lakers

LeBron James (left ankle), Anthony Davis (left ankle), Cam Reddish (facial laceration) have been upgraded to available for L.A. Other Lakers who have been ruled out are their backup frontcourt players Rui Hachimura (left calf), and Christian Wood (migrane).

The Suns' only other player besides Damion Lee (right knee) who's out is their backup big Drew Eubanks (illness), according to coach Frank Vogel during his pregame media session.

Suns near full strength, Lakers' LeBron James questionable

The Suns' Wednesday injury report only lists Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery) out against the Lakers. He's been out since the preseason. That's a rare occasion for the usually injury-riddled Suns. Their Big 3 of leading scorer Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal are set to play their seventh game together.

The Lakers' injury list includes Anthony Davis (left ankle, probable), LeBron James (left ankle, questionable) and Cam Reddish (facial laceration, questionable), as well as second-unit players Rui Hachimura (left calf, doubtful) and Gabe Vincent (left knee surgery, out).

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns-Lakers updates: Beal, Big 3 shines as Phoenix routs L.A.