PHOENIX — A late surge wasn’t enough. And the inconsistent energy continues to disrupt the Lakers’ rhythm, showing just so in the desert.

Luka Dončić and the late surge from the Lakers nearly dragged them all the way back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, but Royce O’Neale’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left sealed a 113-110 loss on Thursday at the Mortgage Matchup Center.

The Lakers executed a perfect play with the 0.9 seconds they had left but couldn’t get the shot to fall. A sharp elevator screen got Austin Reaves free for a clean corner look, but the shot rimmed out at the buzzer, giving the Lakers their third straight loss.

Reaves had tied the game at 108 a little before with a minute left with a clutch 3. The Lakers’ climb was catapulted by two big-time 3s from Dončić—hitting six 3s on the night—and an all-around effort from the rest of the group. 

Dončić finished with a game-high 41 points on 12 of 21 shooting with eight rebounds and eight assists. 

The Suns outhustled and outworked the Lakers throughout the game to make up for the absence of two of their most productive players, Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks.

Where They Stand

The Lakers drop to 34-24 and are slowly pushing themselves closer down to the play-in spot. They still sit at No. 6 in the Western Conference but are one game away from being dropped to seventh, where the Suns stand.

The Lakers have lost five of their last seven games.

The Game-Changer: Suns burning 3s

It wasn’t just O’Neale’s final shot.

The damage was done earlier when Phoenix built separation with perimeter shooting; the Lakers were never fully contained. The Suns knocked down 22 3-pointers—double the Lakers’ total—and hit open shots when they needed them most.

Even after Dončić’s 3s trimmed the deficit late, the Suns answered back with one of ther own.

The Gamebreaker: Collin Gillespie

Although Grayson Allen could have easily been the game’s “gamebreaker,” with a team-high 28 points off the bench, Gillespie gets the award for the game, as he poured in four of his six 3s in the fourth quarter.

Gillespie hit his biggest 3 of the night down the stretch after Dončić hit his second straight 3 to inch the Lakers closer, getting the Slovenian to bite in the air on a mean pump fake to give the Suns a five-point lead. 

Gillespie finished with 21 points in 31 minutes. Allen also had six 3s on the night.

Next On The Schedule

The Lakers head to San Francisco for the first time this season at Chase Center in their third matchup against the Golden State Warriors.

Then L.A. will play seven of its following eight games at home.