Led by 31 points from LeBron James, the Lakers outlasted the Suns, 106-103, in an NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinal that featured a controversial call in the closing seconds that benefitted LA.

Andrew D. Bernstein / NBAE via Getty Images

Adam Pantozzi / NBAE via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES — With a trip to Las Vegas and a cash prize on the line, LeBron James and Anthony Davis went to their moneymaker.

James motioned for Austin Reaves to clear out from the right wing and dribbled around a high screen from Davis, baiting the switch from Jusuf Nurkić. James galloped past Eric Gordon, his on-ball defender, took one dribble and glided past the outstretched arms of Nurkić and Grayson Allen for a layup.

The pivotal basket put the Lakers up by five points, 102-97, with 2:20 remaining.

It also capped a ridiculous fourth-quarter stretch in which James scored or assisted on the Lakers’ first 19 points (15 points and two assists). He finished with 31 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists and a season-high five steals in 40 minutes in a 106-103 In-Season Tournament win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.

Los Angeles improved to 13-9 and fourth in the Western Conference and secured the last semifinal spot in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament. The Lakers are 5-0 in the tournament and will play the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday in Las Vegas.

“I mean, no disrespect to anybody else, he’s the best quarterback in the NBA,” head coach Darvin Ham said of James. “And that’s bar-none. He understands those moments and what we’re trying to get out of certain possessions, when we need to be aggressive going downhill, when we need to be more methodical. … So, that’s just him being who he has been his whole career, his entire career. So, there’s nothing shocking about that.”