Lakers beat Suns to level NBA playoff series

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Los Angeles Lakers defeated Phoenix Suns 109-102 to level the NBA playoff series 1-1 on Tuesday.

LA Lakers' Anthony Davis and Andre Drummond made a double-double at Phoenix's Talking Stick Resort Arena.

Davis scored 34 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, while Drummond finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Lakers superstar LeBron James played with 23 points and nine assists.

For the Suns, the Bahamian center Deandre Ayton performed double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds while Devin Booker was the highest scorer of his team with 31 points.

Cameron Payne came off the bench to add 19 points.

- Knicks' Randle named to 2020-21 Most Improved Player

The New York Knicks forward Julius Randle has been named the 2020-21 Kia NBA Most Improved Player.

"Randle received 98 first-place votes and earned 493 total points from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant received the other two first-place votes and finished in second place with 140 points. Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. finished in third place with 138 points," NBA said in a statement.

Randle, 24, averaged 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 71 games during the season.

- Tuesday's results:

- Eastern Conference:

(2) Brooklyn Nets- (7) Boston Celtics: 130-108 (Nets lead series 2-0)

- Western Conference:

(2) Phoenix Suns- (7) Los Angeles Lakers: 102-109 (Series tied 1-1)

(4) Los Angeles Clippers- (5) Dallas Mavericks : 121-127 (Mavericks lead series 0-2)

*First team home team