Suns head coach reacts to controversial calls vs. Lakers
Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott spoke to the media after controversial calls in the team’s narrow loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 14, 2025.
The Phoenix Suns will face the Los Angeles Lakers for the third time this month Tuesday, Dec. 23, at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The Suns and Lakers split their first two matchups.
Phoenix won in Los Angeles, 125-108 on Dec. 1, without Devin Booker for the last three quarters. The Suns star guard suffered a right groin strain in the first quarter. Collin Gillespie scored a career-high 28 points in the win for the Suns.
The Lakers won the rematch, 116-114, Dec. 14 in Phoenix.
LeBron James hit two out of three free throws with three seconds left after Booker fouled him on a 3-point shot to give the Lakers a one-point lead. Booker scored a team-high 27 points in his return after missing three games with the right groin strain.
The Suns and Lakers played on Dec. 14 after losing in the NBA Cup quarterfinals to ensure both teams have an 82-game season.
Phoenix lost at defending NBA champion Oklahoma City and Los Angeles fell to the San Antonio Spurs at home Dec. 10 in tournament play.
The Pacific Division rivals will now face each other five times instead of four in the regular season. The fourth game is Feb. 26 in Phoenix and the fifth one is April 10 in Los Angeles.
The Suns aren’t playing on Christmas for the first time since the 2020-21 season as they won just 36 games last season. They will play Dec. 26 in New Orleans in the first of consecutive games against the Pelicans.
The two teams meet again on Dec. 27 in New Orleans in the second of a back-to-back.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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