The Los Angeles Lakers built a 20-point fourth-quarter lead then weathered a furious Phoenix fightback to beat the Suns 116-114 in a bruising NBA clash on Sunday.

The team won't have the full force of their star trio. Star guard Austin Reaves has been ruled out with a calf strain. According to reports, Reaves sustained the injury before their game against the Spurs. However, he still played and finished with 15 points on 37.5% shooting.

Sunday's game between the Lakers and Suns was played in peaks and valleys, but L.A. ended it as the king of the hill.

The Phoenix Suns, coming off a 49-point loss to Oklahoma City in NBA Cup quarterfinals, rallied from 20 down but lost late to the Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers (17-7) visit the Phoenix Suns (14-11) on Sunday. Tip-off from Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona, is at 8 p.m. ET. Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's NBA odds around the Lakers vs. Suns odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.

The San Antonio Spurs held off the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday, Dec. 10 in a 132-119 victory in the final game of the NBA Cup quarterfinals. San Antonio had seven different players reach double figures in scoring, but guard Stephon Castle posted a 30-point double-double with 10 rebounds and 6 assists.

Chariton Arnold Ferrin Jr. was a basketball star in college while at the University of Utah. In 1944, he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament as the Utes won the national championship, and three years later, he helped the school win a National Invitation Tournament title.

The Los Angeles Lakers can't run away from the very real, very threatening defensive problems that could, if not corrected, derail any hopes they have of competing for an NBA title.