As a rookie last season, Suns wing Josh Jackson saw a lot of purple and gold in the Stands when the Los Angeles Lakers came to Phoenix.

He expects more of that with LeBron James joining the Lakers, but that’s not the only thing Jackson thinks will happen in tonight’s 7 p.m. game at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

“The fans are always going to come out, especially when it’s a Lakers game,” Jackson said Tuesday after practice. “We’ve got a lot of Laker fans out in this area. So it will be great energy on both sides, but Phoenix is going to come out with the win.”

Come again?

“Phoenix is going to come out with the win.”

Sounds like Jackson, the man who will likely guard James at some point tonight, is guaranteeing a victory, something the Suns (1-2) could use right now after lopsided road losses against Denver and defending NBA champion Golden State.

Then again, the Lakers (0-3) haven’t even won a game yet, but James isn’t in panic mode over it.

MORE:LeBron James vs. Phoenix Suns: King James' top performances

“I know what I got myself into,” said James after Monday’s overtime loss to San Antonio in which he missed the game-winner. “It’s a process. I get it. We’ll be fine. I didn’t come here thinking we were going to be blazing storms right out the gate. It’s a process, I understand that.”

The Lakers and Suns are being viewed as teams trying to figure out their identity.

Phoenix has talent, added some veterans, but they're young. Los Angeles has a similar team composition, but Suns first-year coach Igor Kokoskov isn’t buying into the Lakers’ 0-3 start.

“They’ve played tough games,” said Kokoskov of the Lakers, who opened the season against three playoff teams from last season in Portland, Houston, which had the NBA’s best record, and San Antonio.

“Tough schedule and searching for their game. People talk about they’re looking for their identity, but we know. For them, it’s LeBron James. A lot of small ball. Ability to run the floor well. When it comes to position defense and position game in general and contain the paint. We have a lot of respect for these guys, but we’re focusing on ourselves.”

The main internal focus for Phoenix has been transition defense.

MORE:Suns look to rebound at home against LeBron James, Lakers

Denver scored 33 fast-break points. Golden State churned out 34.

If the Lakers reach that total, Phoenix will likely find itself on the losing end for a third consecutive game.

“We know the Lakers are a team that likes to get in transition with a lot of athletic guys,” Phoenix guard Devin Booker said after Wednesday’s shootaround.

The other half of that issue is lack of offensive execution.

Not only did Phoenix shoot just 41.9 percent from the field on the two-game road trip, going 20 of 72 from 3, they had a total of 40 turnovers that led to 50 total points for Denver and Golden State.

Booker committed nine turnovers against the Warriors.

So not only has the offense lacked flow and the Suns have shot poorly, but they’re also turning the ball over. That can only make the transition defense even worse.

No wonder Kokoskov continues to say the Suns are focused on themselves, but with James and the Lakers in town, they’ll have to share the spotlight — unless they win tonight like Jackson says they will.

READ MORE