NBA: Los Angeles Lakers shoot past Phoenix Suns in closing minutes

LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - Kyle Kuzma had 23 points off the bench and hit a pair of key three-pointers down the stretch, and the Los Angeles Lakers pulled away from the host Phoenix Suns for a 123-115 National Basketball Association victory on Tuesday (Nov 12).

Anthony Davis had 24 points and 12 rebounds for Los Angeles, and LeBron James added 19 points and 11 assists.

James made a three-pointer and Kuzma sank two treys in a row in a 90-second stretch as the Lakers closed on a 12-2 run to win for the eighth time in nine games. The Suns, who have lost two of three, did not have a field goal in the final 3min 28secs.

Dwight Howard had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers. Danny Green scored 14 points, and Rajon Rondo had five points and seven assists in 14 minutes in his return after missing the first nine games of the season due to a right calf strain.

Ricky Rubio and 21 points and 10 assists, Devin Booker 21 points and Aron Baynes 20 points for Phoenix. Baynes tied a career high with four three-pointers.

The Suns, who sank 16 of 38 three-point attempts, have made at least 11 three-pointers in a franchise-record eight consecutive games. Dario Saric had four threes, and Rubio and Cam Johnson had three apiece.

The Lakers held a 109-102 lead after a Davis three-pointer with 6:12 remaining before the Suns went on an 8-0 run, Baynes capping the sequence with two free throws. However, James and Kuzma rescued Los Angeles.

The Lakers outshot the Suns from the floor 53.7 per cent to 47.3 per cent.

The Suns made five threes in the first 10 minutes and took a 29-20 lead with a minute left in the first quarter. Rubio had two threes in the run.

Davis, who had 14 points in the first half, scored six points in the final four minutes of the second quarter. His driving dunk with about a minute left pushed the Lakers to their largest lead of the half, 59-55.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 14-footer gave the Lakers a 95-92 lead after three quarters.