Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns knew they let one slip away last week in Los Angeles when they allowed the Lakers to come back from an early deficit to win.

On Monday night in Phoenix, they made sure it would not happen again.

After missing Saturday’s win over Dallas with an elbow injury, Brad returned to the lineup on Monday and tallied 15 points for the second straight time against LA, and added four assists, three rebounds a pair of steals and a block in the 109-105 win.

https://x.com/Suns/status/1851124099222769750

Unlike the first meeting, it was Los Angeles that grabbed momentum early in the rematch, taking a nine-point lead after one. The Suns rallied in the second, thanks to suffocating defense that limited the Lakers to just 14 points in the 12 minutes before halftime, and took a two-point edge into the break.

LA fought back in the third and held a seven-point edge entering the fourth, but Phoenix tightened up on defense and the fourth, while also playing sound fundamental basketball on the offensive end. Brad scored six points in the frame and after he returned with just over five minutes to go, assisted on two more buckets from Kevin Durant and Royce O’Neale as the Suns took the lead and held it for good down the stretch.

Brad’s two free throws with zeroes on the clock put the icing on Phoenix’s third win of the season.

The Suns (3-1) return to Southern California on Thursday to take on the Clippers for the second time already this season at the new Intuit Dome in Inglewood. Phoenix opened the season at the sprawling new facility with a 116-113 win over Los Angeles on Opening Night. The Clippers (2-1) have since won two straight games entering the rematch. Thursday’s tip-off is slated for 7:30 MST and the game can be seen on NBA TV.