WHO: Los Angeles Lakers (1-2) vs. Phoenix Suns (3-1)

When: 7:00 PM Arizona time

Where: The Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ

Watch: TNT

It’s the last time in about six months that Suns fans aren’t allowed to be angry, worried or agitated about the outcome of a game. That’s a good thing and a bad thing for the Valley fan base. It clearly indicates that the NBA season is close and almost here, but there are also exciting moments ahead now that will send fans into a frenzy.

What better way to spend the final game of the 2024-2025 season for the Suns taking on the Lakeshow!

When these teams last played, the main story wasn’t the Valley win, or Oso Ighodaro’s five assists in his first preseason game. It was LeBron James and his son Bronny James who shared the court for the first time.

However, that won’t be the main story of this film. In this nationally televised battle, the Valley will put the finishing touches on things before they count and matter.

Starting lineups

Injury report

Sunbathing

Grayson Allen – OUT (Achilles)

Josh Okogie – OUT (hamstring soreness)

Lakers

Armel Traore – OUT (hand)

Jarred Vanderbilt – OUT (foot)

Christian Koloko – OUT (illness)

Christian Wood – OUT (knee)

What to pay attention to

Can Ryan continue his stellar preseason shooting? Or is it Dunn with? The rookie went 6-11 in his last three games against the Nuggets, including a step back three over reigning MVP and NBA champion Nikola Jokić.

The rookie’s three-point shooting has the Phoenix fanbase excited. He has already made more threes in four preseason games than he did all of last season at Virginia. Shooting them down at a ridiculous 44% on 6.75 attempts per game, NBA experts are already calling him a steal of the draft due to his shooting.

Excitement is high in the Valley for the University of Virginia product, and Bright Side is all fired up with fans and media.

Additionally, Jusuf Nurkić is scheduled to make his preseason debut, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.

Keys to a Suns victory

If the Suns can keep up the three tries, they can win the math battle against the Lakers. In the last game, the Valley made 44.2% of their threes on 52 attempts, beating the Denver Nuggets.

More importantly than a win, can the Suns maintain the good energy and atmosphere they have maintained since the end of last season into the regular season?

Whether that’s a win or a strong performance from an unlikely cast member, the Suns appear to be in a good place as a team, something that seemed unfathomable to many after they were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves last season.

Prediction

Give me the Valley to get the win over the Lakers. Expect the starters not to play too much, but to put together some good runs one last time before the season starts next Wednesday against the Clippers.

Suns 107, Lakers 99