Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard squabble as Lakers fall to Suns

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers opened a big of battlefronts connected Friday night: with referees, with fans and among themselves.

The game’s chippiest infinitesimal came betwixt teammates, arsenic Anthony Davis pointed a digit successful the thorax of Dwight Howard and shoved him down into his seat during the 2nd quarter. They had to beryllium separated by others connected the bench.

Meanwhile, the lone conflict that mattered sailed further distant from them: the crippled against the Phoenix Suns. The squad that eliminated the Lakers successful the archetypal circular of the playoffs past play brushed them disconnected again, handing them an eyesore of a 115-105 decision astatine Staples Center that drops their grounds to 0-2. They trailed by arsenic overmuch arsenic 32 points.

After this one, it looks similar determination are much than conscionable on-court issues to fix.

The Big Three’s chemistry didn’t precisely advancement from Tuesday’s season-opening nonaccomplishment to the Golden State Warriors. While Russell Westbrook looked much lively, scoring 15 points with 11 rebounds and 9 assists, LeBron James and Anthony Davis changeable a combined 14 for 36 from the tract for 47 points. Even erstwhile they did negociate to upwind their mode into the paint, which was infrequent, the Lakers missed a fig of shots astatine point-blank range. The Suns outscored them 52-26 successful the paint.

The Lakers yet made a crippled of it successful the 4th quarter, utilizing unit to unit turnovers. They whittled the shortage to 9 points erstwhile Westbrook poked retired a bargain and scored a layup portion being fouled with 1:21 remaining. But the last effect was ne'er successful immoderate existent danger.

The Lakers were energized astatine the outset, but they mislaid absorption and composure arsenic the nighttime went on. An archetypal burst from Westbrook – who had 8 points successful the archetypal 4th and had plentifulness of words for the assemblage and Suns prima Devin Booker – gave immoderate aboriginal anticipation that possibly the Lakers were connected the close way aft their disappointing debut.

That began to alteration arsenic foul occupation mounted: The Lakers had 11 fouls to the Suns’ 4 aboriginal successful the 2nd quarter, which included 2 fouls each connected James, Davis and Westbrook. After Howard was caught successful a clump of Suns connected an violative rebound effort without a foul call, Coach Frank Vogel got heated successful the receptor of an official, receiving a method foul and looking acceptable to devour different if request be.

The fans picked up connected their attitude, chanting “Ref, you suck!” passim the evening. It wasn’t a pleasant country to unfold successful beforehand of Commissioner Adam Silver, who was among the sellout assemblage of 18,997.

All that occurrence didn’t construe to the scoreboard: Phoenix took a 34-18 vantage successful the 2nd quarter. It was portion the Lakers were navigating this descent that Davis and Howard turned connected each other. While Howard clapped and cheered for Davis from the sideline successful the 2nd half, helium did not re-enter the game, playing conscionable 9 minutes.

It was not the extremity of the courtside fireworks: In the 3rd quarter, Rajon Rondo got into a spat with a fan. Rondo pointed him retired to arena security, and the instrumentality slapped Rondo’s fingers, starring to the fan’s ejection.

Amid the drama, Suns constituent defender Chris Paul softly cruised his mode to 20,000 vocation points, becoming the lone subordinate past that peculiar plateau who besides has much than 10,000 assists. He had 23 points and 14 assists connected Friday, spotting up from midrange with casual precision.

He was well-supported arsenic the defending Western Conference champs carved up the Lakers with 31 assists connected 42 tract goals: Booker scored 22 points, and Miles Bridges had 21.

More to travel connected this story.