LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers gestures to the crowd while playing against the Sacramento Kings in the second half at Crypto.com Area on October 26, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. John McCoy/Getty Photos/AFP
The Los Angeles Lakers don't usually get off to fast starts, so the current 3-0 streak stands out as the best in 14 years.
Los Angeles looks to continue its best start since winning eight straight to start the 2010-11 campaign when it visits the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.
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The clash with Phoenix is the first game of a five-game road trip. The Lakers opened with three in a row at home, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves, Suns and Sacramento Kings by an media of six points.
READ: NBA: LeBron James' triple-double lifts Lakers over Kings
“We've been able to hold our ground and let the league know that we're a different team,” Los Angeles star big man Anthony Davis said after Saturday's 131-127 victory over the Kings.
The Lakers averaged 121.3 points in the first three games under new coach JJ Redick.
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Davis has surpassed 30 points in all three games (he's averaging 34 points and 11 rebounds) while LeBron James unleashed against Sacramento with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for the 113th triple-double of his career.
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James (6 of 6) and Davis (5 of 5) didn't miss a single shot in the 44-point fourth quarter that led the Lakers past the Kings.
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James hit three three-pointers and had 16 points, six assists and five rebounds in the decisive period.
READ: NBA: Anthony Davis and Lakers come back in the second half to beat the Suns
“I guess a little bit of everything,” James said of what worked for him down the stretch. “Just trying to see what he had to get us over the hump in this back-to-back.”
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Redick called James' performance in the fourth quarter “surreal.”
Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) reacts after a 3-point shot during the second half of an NBA básquet game against the Sacramento Kings, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang)
“We've all been so fortunate to watch his greatness for so long and the fact that he can continue to do so is really crazy,” Redick said.
The Lakers recorded a 123-116 victory over the Suns on Friday as Davis scored 35 points, Austin Reaves scored 26 and James added 21.
Kevin Durant scored 30 on 11-of-17 shooting for the Suns. Devin Booker added 23 points.
READ: NBA: Lakers' JJ Redick opens up about watching game film at car wash
Phoenix won for the second time in three games on Saturday when they cruised to a 114-102 home victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Durant scored 31 points to become the eighth player in NBA history to surpass 29,000 points. He enters Monday's game with 29,010.
The seven players ahead of Durant on the all-time scoring list are an elite list of básquet legends: leading scorer James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and Wilt Chamberlain .
“I have to give credit to the people who have helped me since I was a kid,” Durant said. “Teammates who passed me the ball, set screens for me, and coaches who set up plays for me.”
Booker added 21 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points and 14 rebounds.
READ: NBA: Durant reaches 29,000 career points in Suns' victory over Mavericks
Booker was pleased with the tenacity shown by Phoenix on a night in which the Mavericks' Luka Doncic scored 40 points.
“I think we played closer to a complete game,” Booker said. “We were stressed when we woke up at the beginning of the second trimester. “We’ve given up tracks this year, so we try to maintain a sense of urgency.”
Bradley Beal (elbow) missed Saturday's game but is expected to return Monday. It is listed as questionable. Fellow point guard Grayson Allen has missed the last two games due to the birth of his daughter and is scheduled to be available Monday.
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The Lakers have won six of the last eight games.