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NBA play-offs: LA Lakers take 2-1 series lead against the Phoenix Suns

The Lakers won last year's NBA title in a bio-secure bubble on neutral ground.

The Los Angeles Lakers won their first play-off game at home in eight seasons to take a 2-1 series lead with a 109-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Anthony Davis again led the way for the Lakers with 34 points and 11 rebounds in the first round of the best-of-seven Western Conference play-offs.

LeBron James scored 21 points as nearly 7,500 fans watched the first play-off game at the Staples Centre since 2013.

The Lakers won last year’s NBA title in a bio-secure bubble on neutral ground.

Davies became the first Lakers player since four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal to score more than 30 points and come up with more than 10 rebounds in successive play-off games.

Lakers legends Elgin Baylor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant are the only other players to also manage the feat for the club.

The Suns led 28-27 after the first quarter, but the Lakers led 43-40 lead at half-time and then went on a 16-6 run at the start of the second half to take control of the game.

A reverse lay-in by James, which brought huge applause from the home crowd, put Los Angeles 21 points up in the fourth quarter and on their way to victory.

The Suns – led by Deandre Ayton with 22 points and 11 rebounds – cut LA’s advantage to eight points with just under three minutes left as Jae Crowder landed a three-pointer. However, that was as close as they would get.

Game four is in Los Angeles on Sunday.

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