LeBron James and resilient Lakers defeat Suns, stay in hunt for No. 3 playoff seed - BERITAJA

The shot is backmost successful LeBron James’ hands, and he is thriving successful his “new” domiciled arsenic the Lakers’ superior caretaker.

James is successful this position successful the aftermath of injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. He had been the 3rd action down Doncic and Reaves, and he shifted backmost to a domiciled he has been accustomed to playing complete his 23-year career.

James has been a unit complete the past 3 games, pinch his latest standout capacity coming Friday nighttime successful the Lakers’ 101-73 triumph complete the Phoenix Suns astatine Crypto.com Arena.

James vanished pinch 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds helped the Lakers unafraid astatine slightest the No. 4 seed successful the uber-tough Western Conference.

The Lakers still person a changeable astatine the 3rd seed if they hit the Utah Jazz astatine location connected Sunday and if the third-place Denver Nuggets suffer astatine San Antonio connected Sunday, the last time of the regular season. Because the Lakers won the tiebreaker complete the Nuggets, they would get the higher seed complete Denver if the 2 teams decorativeness pinch identical records.

Whoever the Lakers look successful the playoffs, coach JJ Redick believes teams want to look his group because of their injuries. Doncic and Reaves are not expected backmost for the first-round of the postseason.

The Lakers, however, do still person James — and he has been masterful.

James was 10 for 16 from the section against the Suns and 2 for 2 from three-point range.

Over his past 3 games successful this caller role, James has averaged 24.6 points, 12.6 assists and 7.6 rebounds, shooting 60% from the section and 46% from three-point range.

Lakers defender Luke Kennard, center, controls the shot successful beforehand of Phoenix guards Amir Coffey, left, and Jamaree Bouyea during the first half Friday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

He was connected constituent from the opening against the Suns.

James quickly went by a defender connected a back-door cut, took a walk from Luke Kennard and threw down a two-handed, rim-rattling dunk. James flexed successful beforehand of his teammates connected the bench, who stood to springiness their approval. The Suns called clip retired pinch 4 minutes and 53 seconds near successful the first quarter, giving the fans much clip to admit what James was still capable to do astatine 41 years old.

The Lakers are 52-29 and are assured they’ll beryllium fresh to look immoderate force successful the playoffs.

“I’m judge everybody wants to play us. Let’s get that retired there, like, everybody wants to play us,” Redick said earlier the game. “Probably teams that are successful a position wherever they could commencement looking guardant to imaginable second-round matchups arsenic well. ... Again, I’ll opportunity what I told the squad yesterday, what I told you guys aft the game, we person to fig retired the look and the belief for this group to beryllium successful. And truthful that’s our attraction for coming and that’s going to beryllium our attraction connected Sunday.”

Notes: Lakers backup halfway Jaxson Hayes missed his 3rd consecutive crippled pinch near ft soreness, but he has been making progress. “Hope to person him backmost Sunday,” Redick said. “But yeah, he’s still time to day.” ... The Lakers waived defender Kobe Bufkin. It intends the Lakers person a roster spot disposable to motion different subordinate for the playoffs. “We’re evaluating each the options we have,” Redick said. ... Marcus Smart, who had missed 9 consecutive games pinch a correct ankle contusion, had six points successful 18 minutes.