Feb 22, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball against the Boston Celtics during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

3 Bold Predictions for Suns vs Lakers

Originally posted on Phoenix Suns on SI | By Donnie Druin | Last updated Feb 26, 2026 3:37 PM ET

The Phoenix Suns move into tonight's matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers in search of turning their recent losing ways around, as Jordan Ott's crew have won just one of their last five matchups.

The Lakers, losers of their last two games, are aiming for the same goal.

Tonight could prove to be pivotal as the regular season begins to wind down. The Lakers are just two games above Phoenix in the Western Conference standings.

For the Suns, all of Devin Booker, Jordan Goodwin and Dillon Brooks are out on the injury report. The Lakers are listing Rui Hachimura as questionable and Jaxson Hayes as probable.

Three bold predictions for tonight:

Luka Doncic Drops 40-Point Triple Double

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Doncic is no stranger to scoring big numbers against the Suns, both with the Lakers and previously with the Dallas Mavericks.

Doncic leads the NBA in scoring (32.5 PPG), is third in assists (8.6 APG) and second in three-pointers made (3.6 per night).

The Suns are top five in defensive points allowed per game this season, though arguably their top two on-ball defenders in Brooks/Goodwin are out of action.

What could potentially hurt this bold prediction is Phoenix's lack of scoring prowess to turn this into a track meet. The Suns have emptied their bench at the end of their last two games after scoring just 81 and 77 points.

Mark Williams Gets His Groove Back, Scores 20

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Mark Williams has struggled as of late since the Suns have returned from the All-Star break, posting negative plus/minus box scores in all four matchups while Phoenix has gone 1-3 in the win/loss column.

Williams hasn't quite been himself in either the scoring or rebound department, though he's previously had success against Los Angeles with performances of 18 points/9 rebounds and 20 points/6 rebounds.

Tonight presents the perfect opportunity for the big man to get back on track, as his recent dip in form and prior success against the Lakers bodes well — especially with Booker/Brooks' scoring unavailable.

Jalen Green's Struggles Continue

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Green has shown the ability to take over and score at will previously — though lately that hasn't been the case, especially in Phoenix.

Green has made just 28-83 shots (33%) since the All-Star break, a wildly inefficient output for a scorer of his caliber.

The Suns are hoping those trends can reverse sooner rather than later, and while Jordan Ott is confident Green will bounce back, doing so against the Lakers probably won't happen tonight as Booker's gravity isn't available to him or his fellow shooters.

This article first appeared on Phoenix Suns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: