There’s no pressure for the Phoenix Suns on Friday as the season nears an end. The Suns traveled to take on the Los Angeles Lakers, who have found a stride late in the season in time for the play-in tournament.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Suns head coach Monty Williams opted to rest his starters tonight. With the fourth seed locked in, there was no real reason to put extended minutes on the likes of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Chris Paul.
On the other hand, the Lakers decided to play both LeBron James and Anthony Davis as they continue to take shape before the postseason.
Even with the starters out, Phoenix took care of business in keeping up with LA in the first half.
The result was Phoenix leading LA 62-61 at halftime.
Cameron Payne Helps Lead the Way
With no Paul, Payne was sure to have a huge load of minutes on Friday. He made sure to make the most of those minutes in the first half.
He went 5-of-13 from the floor, resulting in 13 points along with four assists. Payne, along with other role players providing a balanced attack, helped keep the Suns in the game for majority of the first half.
Payne took a scary fall on a layup attempt during the second quarter, but was able to continue his play to help Phoenix continue making it an interesting contest.
Bismack Biyombo Leaves During Second Quarter
While Payne was able to bounce back from his fall, Biyombo didn’t have the same luck. With (4:26) remaining in the half, Biyombo attempted to contest a drive by Davis, causing the two to bump knees.
Biyombo took the bulk of the damage, causing him to leave the game. Prior to exiting, Biyombo had scored four points while grabbing five rebounds. He also had three blocks.
The overall hope is that Biyombo’s injury won’t cause him to miss an extended period of time with the playoffs around the corner. Phoenix does have depth at the center position with Jock Landale. Still, Biyombo’s defensive presence will be needed.
