NBA: Los Angeles Lakers beaten by Phoenix Suns in third straight defeat



The Phoenix Suns have won 24 out of 26 games.

The Los Angeles Lakers were beaten by the Phoenix Suns as they lost their third game in a row.

The Suns recorded their 24th victory in 26 games as Booker scored 24 points in his second game back from injury.

James injured his ankle with six minutes remaining and did not return to the game.

The Suns' Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 11 Rebounds.

The Lakers were without their head coach Frank Vogel and several other players who are unavailable under the NBA's Covid-19 health and safety protocols.

The Suns had been 1-2 on the road since their 18-game winning streak was ended by the Golden State Warriors.

Tyler Herro came back from an injury to lead the Miami Heat to a 125-96 win over the Indiana Pacers. Herro and Robinson both scored a season-high 26 points for the Heat.

The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-106, while the New York Knicks defeated the Detroit Pistons 105-91, and the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Portland Trailblazers 111-97

'No logic behind pausing right now' - Silver.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said there are no plans to delay the league despite a rise in coronaviruses.

The league's website says 84 players from 20 teams have entered health and safety protocols as of Tuesday, and seven games have been postponed since last week.

"We have looked at all the options but we are having trouble coming up with what the logic would be behind pausing right now," Silver said.

"As we look through these cases, I think we're finding ourselves where we knew we were going to get to over the past several months, and that is this virus will not be eradicated, and we're going to have to learn to live with it."

According to media outlets in the US, the NBA teams playing on Christmas Day have been told their times could change at the last minute.