LOS ANGELES — Despite being short-staffed and everything else, the Lakers hung with the Phoenix Suns for the first half of Tuesday’s game.

Then the Suns became the Suns and ended the Lakers’ fun.

Phoenix rediscovered its outside touch and pulled away after halftime for a 108-90 win at Staples Center. 

LeBron James scored 34 points and Russell Westbrook added 22, but Trevor Ariza (12 points) was their only other teammate to score in double figures as the Lakers failed to match the Suns’ intensity.

The Suns made only three of 22 three-point shots in the first half but turned it around quickly by drilling nine in the second half. The Suns' 54-52 halftime lead wasn't so slender when the game ended.

The Lakers (16-16) got some rare positive medical news several hours before tip-off when Dwight Howard and Talen Horton-Tucker were cleared from the NBA’s Covid-19 health protocols after they’d each missed three games.

There were still four Lakers in the Covid-19 protocols — Malik Monk, Austin Reaves, Kent Bazemore and Avery Bradley. The Lakers were also adjusting to life in their second game since losing Anthony Davis for at least four weeks because of a sprained knee ligament.

James boiled it down to reality after the Lakers lost a third consecutive game.

“They are at full strength and we’re not,” he said. “It’s hard to see where we are as a team.”

They’re now at .500, a surprising spot for a team that had high expectations. Injuries and the recent rash of Covid-19 issues have knocked them back day after day, if not week after week right now.

“Unfortunately, this is the lay of the land,” Lakers assistant coach David Fizdale said after filling in for head coach Frank Vogel, who was sidelined a second game because of Covid-19 protocols. “This season has been incredibly choppy for us.”

Horton-Tucker had trouble readjusting after sitting out more than a week. He missed 12 of 13 shots, including all eight of his three-point attempts.

Isaiah Thomas looked good in his first two games after signing a 10-day contract with the Lakers. It did not carry over to his third game with his new team. He missed 10 of 11 shots. 

The Lakers as a whole scored only 38 points in the second half.

“Our offense stalled out,” Fizdale said.

Suns guard Devin Booker had the hot hand after halftime, making four of six three-point shots on the way to 24 points.

DeAndre Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Suns (25-5) continued their smooth run to the top of the Western Conference standings. They pulled half a game ahead of second-place Golden State after winning Tuesday.

“It’s a good team. You get in a hole, it’s hard to get out of it,” Westbrook said.