<p>PHOENIX — Devin Booker scored 30 points after two quiet games and the Phoenix Suns sent LeBron James to the locker room early, dismantling the Los Angeles Lakers 115-85 Tuesday night to take a 3-2 first-round series lead. </p>
<p>The Suns won in Los Angeles on Sunday to tie the series and went right at the Anthony Davis-less Lakers in front of a revved-up crowd in Game 5.</p>
<p>Davis was out after suffering a groin injury in Game 4 and the Suns took advantage by attacking every chance they had. The Lakers put up little resistance, allowing Phoenix to score nearly at will while building a 30-point halftime lead — Los Angeles’ largest halftime deficit in 25 years.</p>
<p>The Suns made 14 3-pointers and had just four turnovers against the NBA’s regular-season defensive efficiency leader.</p>
<p>The only bad news: point guard Chris Paul took a shot to his injured right shoulder in the third quarter and did not return.</p>
<p>James scored 17 of his 24 points in the third quarter, but couldn’t rally the listless Lakers. The four-time league MVP sat at the end of the bench by himself in the fourth quarter before heading to the locker room with about five minutes left.</p>
<p>Game 6 is Thursday in Los Angeles</p>
<p>The series between one-time rivals has been shaped by injuries.</p>
<p>The Suns won the first game in the desert despite Paul injuring his shoulder. Los Angeles won the next two with Paul ailing, then Phoenix took Game 4 102-94 in Los Angeles after Davis went down with a groin injury.</p>
<p>The Suns took advantage of Davis’ absence early in Game 5, repeatedly getting into the lane for shots or kickouts for open looks.</p>
<p>Booker was the biggest beneficiary.</p>
<p>He had been relatively quite the previous two games — at least for one of the league’s top scorers — scoring a combined 36 points on 11-of-24 shooting. Phoenix’s young All-Star came out firing in the pivotal game of the series, scoring 18 points in the first quarter and hitting a corner jumper to put the Suns up 18 early in the second.</p>
<p>Booker wasn’t the only one dropping shots.</p>
<p>The Suns had their way against Los Angeles’ reach-and-swipe defense, leaving the Lakers flat footed with their quickness and rapid ball movement.</p>
<p>Phoenix made eight 3-pointers, 26 of 48 shots and had one turnover to lead 66-36 at halftime. It was the Lakers’ largest halftime deficit since trailing Utah by 26 in 1998, according to SportRadar.</p>
<p>The Suns kept on the gas even as James became more aggressive in the third quarter, maintaining a 29-point lead heading into the final 12 minutes.</p>
<p>PAUL GOES DOWN</p>
<p>Paul reinjured his shoulder midway through the third quarter when he got tangled with Lakers guard Wesley Matthews while fighting for a rebound and hit the floor. Paul pointed toward Matthews as he went off the floor and was immediately attended to by Phoenix’s trainers.</p>
<p>Paul got up after a minute or so and walked around, setting off a round of MVP! chants from the crowd. He returned to the game to hit two free throws and received a loud ovation before heading to the locker room for treatment.</p>
<p>Paul finished with nine points and six assists.</p>
<p>TIP INS</p>
<p>Lakers: Kyle Kuzma was the only other Los Angeles player to score in double figures with 15 points. … Markieff Morris, who started in place of Davis, had four points on 1-of-2 shooting.</p>
<p>Suns: Cam Payne gave Phoenix a nice lift, particularly after Paul went out. The backup point guard finished with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting. … Mikal Bridges had a solid all-around game with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. … Booker shot 13 of 23 from the floor.</p>
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