Unlike their last meeting with the Suns, the Lakers got a big lead early on, but then blew it and lost their first game of the season 109-105.

Anthony Davis scored 29 points with 14 rebounds and three Blocks. Rui Hachimura’s impressive start to the season continued with 20 and 10 points bounces off.

LeBron James had a very slow night with 11 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Only a late 3-pointer in the fourth quarter kept his double-digit scoring streak alive.

Austin Reaves had a really strong offensive performance for the second year in a row, scoring 23 points with eight rebounds. D’Angelo Russell contributed 14 points and eight assists.

The Lakers came out of the game red hot when Rui knocked down a 3-pointer, which led to more attacks from him. He was the team’s top scorer until AD took over. He took over the game and scored the majority of his 16 points in the game in the first quarter, missing just four shots.

The only Laker who didn’t score in the first game was LeBron.

Their defense overwhelmed the Suns, who only had eight points with 5:16 left in the quarter. The Lakers’ energy waned a bit due to the missed shots.

A missed three-pointer by Gabe Vincent caused the Suns to cook offensively. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal reduced the deficit from 18 points to nine at the end of the first half.

Phoenix shifted the momentum a bit in their favor when the Lakers started making turnovers and mistakes. They cut the deficit to five thanks to Devin Booker scoring the goal.

A 3-pointer from Booker then made it a two-point game. Los Angeles began to look sloppy as they had exhausted their energy with a great start in the first quarter. Despite Booker’s dominance, the Lakers managed to maintain their lead.

Rui continued his excellent play with an impressive 1-1 against several Suns defenders. The Lakers started playing better defense when AD came back into the game, which gave Phoenix problems with their shooting.

The Lakers’ lead dwindled to just three after the Suns went on a 7-0 run. A 3-pointer from Booker brought Phoenix within two points at halftime.

Tyus Jones stole the ball from AD and scored a layup early in the second half. Phoenix made the Lakers pay for their lack of defense. Luckily for LA, their offense saved them from collapse.

LeBron, who had shot incredibly in the previous game, struggled mightily in this game. Phoenix had extended their lead to five, but LA went on a run and a three-pointer from Rui brought them within one. The Suns continued to lead by five points, but the Lakers fought back each time and eventually took a one-point lead.

Los Angeles took a four-point lead with an 8-0 run. Rui’s dominant play was on full display as he attacked the rim for another layup. The Lakers finished the quarter better than the previous two, with Gabe knocking down his first three-pointer of the night as they headed into the fourth quarter.

The Suns quickly made it a two-point game entering the final frame. For the first time in the game the score was tied. Both teams started trading baskets and not playing good defense. Phoenix went up by four points after continuing to increase the tempo.

Once again LA fought back and took the lead after AD’s dominance. The lead kept changing back and forth as both teams struggled with their scoring chances. After the Suns took the lead, a four-point play from Austin put LA back in the lead.

With 2:11 minutes left, the Lakers were down by four points after a few KD baskets. Austin attempted a 3-pointer that missed, and Phoenix secured the rebound.

After getting a stop, LeBron was sent to the free throw line where he converted one but intentionally missed the second. The Lakers failed to grab the rebound and Phoenix won the game.

Key Takeaways:

The first game of the season that presented the Lakers with a big challenge. Losing the huge lead they had built in the first quarter was a huge blow.

The Lakers showed a lot of fight even in defeat. They fight and fight until the end. It was impressive to see.

Rebounding continued to be a huge improvement. They grabbed everything.

The Lakers’ next game is against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.