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LeBron James hits 2 late free throws, Lakers beat Suns 116-114 after blowing 20-point lead

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LeBron James hits 2 late free throws, Lakers beat Suns 116-114 after blowing 20-point lead
Sport

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LeBron James hits 2 late free throws, Lakers beat Suns 116-114 after blowing 20-point lead

2025-12-15 12:06 Last Updated At:12:21

PHOENIX (AP) — LeBron James made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left, Luka Doncic scored 29 points and the Los Angeles Lakers recovered from blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter to top the Phoenix Suns 116-114 on Sunday night.

Phoenix trailed 99-79 with 7:48 left, but took a 114-113 lead with 12.2 seconds left on Dillon Brooks' 3-pointer over James, who made contact with Brooks after the shot. Brooks bumped James on the way back down the court, earning his second technical foul and an ejection.

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Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, center, reacts after dunking against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, center, reacts after dunking against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks, left, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks, left, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, shoots as his teammates gesture from the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, shoots as his teammates gesture from the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77)looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, front left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77)looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, front left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

More importantly, it gave the Lakers a free throw, but James missed it.

On the ensuing possession, James was fouled on a 3-point attempt by Devin Booker with 3.9 seconds left. The 40-year-old James — who finished with 26 points — missed the first free throw but made the final two to give the Lakers a 115-114 lead.

Phoenix's Grayson Allen got up an awkward shot at the buzzer, but it was off the mark.

Jaxson Hayes threw down a powerful dunk over Phoenix's Oso Ighodaro to give the Lakers a 79-77 lead with 2:24 left in the third quarter. It was part of a 24-0 run over an eight-minute span in the third and fourth quarters that ended with a 95-77 advantage.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 13 rebounds against his former team. Ayton played his first five NBA seasons in Phoenix after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2018.

Los Angeles had a season-high 24 offensive rebounds, which helped offset a tough shooting night. Doncic was 7 of 25 from the field, including 2 of 14 from 3-point range.

Booker led the Suns with 27 points, returning to the lineup after missing three games with a groin injury. The four-time All-Star made 13 of 16 free throws.

The Suns have lost six of their last nine.

Lakers: At Utah on Thursday night.

Suns: Host Golden State on Thursday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, center, reacts after dunking against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, center, reacts after dunking against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks, left, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks, left, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, battle for the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, shoots as his teammates gesture from the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, shoots as his teammates gesture from the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77)looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, front left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77)looks to shoot over Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, front left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Collin Morikawa went 45 starts over more than two years to finally win again on the PGA Tour, and he faced a wait that felt just as long on the final hole Sunday in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He kept his poise, hit a 4-iron to the collar of the green and made birdie for a one-shot victory.

In a wild final round of wind and lead changes, Morikawa had the right response for Scottie Scheffler’s bold charge by making two straight birdies down the stretch, and then making the one that mattered the most — after a 20-minute wait — for a 5-under 67. He finished at 22-under 266.

Morikawa won by one shot over Sepp Straka and Min Woo Lee for his first PGA Tour title since the Zozo Championship in Japan in October 2023.

The timing couldn’t have been better. Morikawa began telling friends this week he and his wife are expecting their first child, and winning was “the best way to announce it to the world.”

Scheffler began the final day eight shots behind and was 7 under through seven holes before the wind began whipping. He had three eagles in his round of 63, the last one a 6-iron to 30 inches on the final hole that allowed him to tie Morikawa for the lead.

Morikawa charged his way into the mix with a 62 on Saturday to get within two shots of the lead. The Cal alum won for the seventh time on the PGA Tour since turning pro a week before the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Winning at Pebble moves him back into the top 10 in the world.

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Anthony Kim capped off a stunning comeback in life and in golf when he made four straight birdies on the back nine, closed with a 9-under 63 and won LIV Golf Adelaide for his first victory in nearly 16 years.

Kim vanished from the game in 2012 and went through struggles with drugs and alcoholism. LIV Golf brought him in as a wild card in 2024, and he made it through qualifying to stay in the league for this season.

He started five shots behind Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, who have combined to win four majors since 2020. The 40-year-old American surged past both of them to win by three shots and collect $4 million.

Kim's last win had been the 2010 Houston Open.

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — David Toms made a 25-foot par putt to stay in the game and finished with a tap-in birdie on the par-5 18th for a 1-over 73 and a one-shot victory in the Chubb Classic, his first victory on the PGA Tour Champions in nearly three years.

Toms struggled for so much of Sunday with a pair of double bogeys on the front nine to let other back into the mix. Boo Weekley closed with a 67 to catch Toms. Defending champion Justin Leonard joined them with birdie on the 17th, though he failed to birdie the 18th from a greenside bunker. He closed with a 70.

Toms reached the bunker in two on the 18th and blasted out to a foot to finish at 13-under 203. It was his fifth PGA Tour Champions title and first since he won the Galleri Classic in 2023.

M.J. Daffue of South Africa closed with a 3-under 69 to win the NTT Data Pro-Am by four shots in a tournament co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour and the Sunshine Tour. ... Charley Hull rallied with a 7-under 65 to win the Saudi Ladies International by one shot over Akie Iwai (67) and Casandra Alexander (68) in a Ladies European Tour event that ended on Saturday. ... Yunseo Yang closed with a 3-under 69 in windy conditions that yielded only three rounds under par for an eight-shot victory at Royal Wellington to become the first South Korean winner of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific. The victory gets the 18-year-old Yang into the Women’s British Open, the Evian Championship and the Chevron Championship on the LPGA.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Anthony Kim of 4Aces GC waves to the fans after winning first place during the final round of the LIV Golf Adelaide at Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, Australia Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Pedro Salado/LIV Golf via AP)

Anthony Kim of 4Aces GC waves to the fans after winning first place during the final round of the LIV Golf Adelaide at Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, Australia Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Pedro Salado/LIV Golf via AP)

Anthony Kim of 4Aces GC reacts to his putt on the 18th green during the final round of the LIV Golf Adelaide at Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, Australia Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via AP)

Anthony Kim of 4Aces GC reacts to his putt on the 18th green during the final round of the LIV Golf Adelaide at Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, Australia Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via AP)

Collin Morikawa celebrates after making a birdie putt on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links during the final round to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Collin Morikawa celebrates after making a birdie putt on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links during the final round to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Collin Morikawa, right, celebrates with his wife, Katherine Zhu, after making a birdie putt on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links during the final round to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Collin Morikawa, right, celebrates with his wife, Katherine Zhu, after making a birdie putt on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links during the final round to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Collin Morikawa celebrates at Pebble Beach Golf Links after winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Collin Morikawa celebrates at Pebble Beach Golf Links after winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament in Pebble Beach, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

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