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We're back with our final betting prediction and pick of today's NBA slate as we take a look at this upcoming matchup in the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Lakers (3-0) will take on the Phoenix Suns (2-1) in an exciting meeting of hot teams right now. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Lakers-Suns prediction and pick.
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently undefeated to start their season after wins over the Timberwolves, Suns, and Kings. Facing three potential Playoff teams to start the season, the Lakers are exceeding early expectations and immediately look like one of the teams to beat in the West.
The Phoenix Suns won their most recent game 114-102 over the Dallas Mavericks as they head into this contest with a winning record. They'll be seeing this Lakers team for the fourth time over the last month (including preseason) and they'll hope to bounce back after dropping their last meeting by seven points.
Here are the Lakers-Suns NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Lakers-Suns Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: +3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +138
Phoenix Suns: -3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -164
Over: 227.5 (-110)
Under: 227.5 (-110)
How To Watch Lakers vs Suns
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT
TV: NBA TV, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Lakers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Los Angeles Lakers are crushing expectations to begin the season and while the Los Angeles faithful knew this team was capable of greatness, the rest of the NBA world is still stunned that the new Lakers' experiment has been working out. Head Coach J.J. Redick has clearly been a breath of fresh air during this season and his dedication to the game is clearly shown through the Lakers' style of basketball. With his friend and on-court coach in LeBron James, the two seem to be making the most of this new roster with the additions of young talent and rising stars.
It only took three games for LeBron James to record his first triple-double of the season and Anthony Davis looks to be healthy and in MVP form. Austin Reaves has also taken a massive step forward in his development and he's one of the Lakers' biggest weapons on the fast break and with his defensive efforts. This team is extremely efficient during fast break situations and if they can begin to build momentum, they'll be extremely tough for this Phoenix Suns defense to stop.
Why the Suns Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Phoenix Suns have been solid through this point and they're gearing up to contend once again as a top team in the West. They've had their struggles against the Lakers recently due to their disadvantage in size on the inside and rebounding the basketball. Still, Kevin Durant is fully capable of keeping them competitive in games due to his efficient scoring and if Jusuf Nurkic is able to have another double-digit rebounding effort, the Suns should be in good shape to cover this game as the betting favorites.
The Suns won't have the same kind of depth on their bench that the Lakers possess, but they're a much better team in terms of scoring in bunches and going on lopsided runs. It's kept them competitive in games over the last year, but they'd love to have Bradley Beal back in the lineup and healthy. When he's on the floor, it adds a whole new dimension to their offense and forces defenses to play single coverage on players like Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
Final Lakers-Suns Prediction & Pick
This will be yet another star-studded affair on both sides of the ball, but the Lakers have gotten the best of the Suns throughout the last two meetings. The Lakers have a big advantage in a much taller lineup and Anthony Davis is expected to see a ton of success in the paint matching up against the big men of Phoenix.
LeBron James doesn't seem to be slowing down in his game at all and he's constantly evolving to the league around him and the matchups he sees every night. When he's putting together a triple-double effort while rebounding and passing the ball, the players around him only benefit and seem to play more efficiently when he's running the show on offense.
The Suns will certainly have to see a solid game in shooting the ball in order to keep up with this Lakers offense, but their effort on the defensive end may have to be the bigger focus during this game. Still, I don't believe it will be enough to slow Anthony Davis and LeBron James, so we'll side with the Los Angeles Lakers to continue their early-season success as they take this game on the road.
Final Lakers-Suns Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Lakers +3.5 (-110)
