Inside Job, Lakers Punish Suns in Game Three

58. That was the number of points in the paint the Lakers scored in taking game three of their playoff series against the Suns, winning 109-95. Devin Booker and Jae Crowder were both ejected with 35.4 seconds remaining. 

Booker’s hard foul on Dennis Schroder led to his exit. Anthony Davis said afterward on the Booker foul, “You can’t blatantly push a guy in the air, it’s a dirty play.” 

The Lakers bench danced and joked in the fourth quarter watching the Lebron James and Crowder battle, but James had his way, scoring 21 points and adding 9 assists. Davis would lead the way for LA with 34 points and 11 rebounds. 

Chris Paul played 27 minutes for the Suns, but was on the bench for much of the fourth quarter, replaced by Cameron Payne, who poured through 15 points and kept Phoenix within striking distance late. 

The series will now go on break until Sunday afternoon’s game four.