Suns beat Lakers 103-81 in preseason as Booker leads with 24 points

The Phoenix Suns opened their preseason with a 103-81 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday in Palm Desert, Calif., led by Devin Booker, who scored 24 points and handed out seven assists in 25 minutes. The victory came against a Lakers lineup missing LeBron James and Luka Dončić, and it provided an early look at Phoenix’s new roster configuration with Booker as the clear focal point.

Booker paced the Suns’ offense, converting efficiently and orchestrating a fluid attack that included a strong debut from Dillon Brooks, who scored 10 points and made three of four 3-point attempts in his first game after arriving in the offseason trade that moved Kevin Durant. Brooks credited Booker’s playmaking for his open looks, saying, "He watches film so he's gonna find out ways to score and ways to get guys involved. He's our point guard... I think he found me on all my threes."

The Lakers, without James and Dončić as they manage returns from recent injuries and workload, received 20 points from Austin Reaves and eight from Bronny James in extended minutes. Lakers coach JJ Redick said he expected Dončić to appear at some point in the preseason and hoped James would get at least one...