One of the more underrated Western Conference rivalries in the NBA will be on tap later tonight as the Los Angeles Lakers will battle it out with the Phoenix Suns in the Valley of the Sun. With that being said, let's check out our NBA odds series, where our Lakers-Suns prediction and pick will be revealed.
Who could've possibly ever imagined that the Lakers could reel off three-straight victories with LeBron James sidelines due to a groin injury? Believe it or not, that is exactly what has occurred in the City of Stars as Los Angeles has found a resurgence within their offense with at least 115 points scored during the winning streak. After a 123-92 victory over the Spurs, are the Lakers finally finding their true identity 15 games into the season?
Like the Lakers, the Phoenix Suns have also had a run-in with the injury bug as veteran point-guard Chris Paul will continue to be ruled out indefinitely with a heel injury. Nevertheless, Phoenix hasn't shown a lack of firepower led by Devin Booker who recently was quieter than usual in the stat sheet against the Knicks with 20 points on 7-17 shooting. As it stands, the Suns come into this one with a record of 10-6 and have been tough to beat within the confines of Footprint Arena.
Here are the Lakers-Suns NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Lakers-Suns Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: +9.5 (-108)
Phoenix Suns: -9.5 (-112)
Over: 227 (-110)
Under: 227 (-110)
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread
As silly as this sounds to write, could Los Angeles be better off without LeBron James on the floor? While the answer to this almost blasphemous question is more than likely a resounding no, it is quite apparent that LA has found its niche with James continuing to be sidelined by injury. Clearly, not having one of the greatest basketball players the world has ever seen at your disposal is never a good thing, the Lakers have definitely earned their props in playing fundamentally sound ball without King James.
At first glance, the Lakers are finding ways to top their opponents by shooting the ball with much more efficiency. If you can recall, Los Angeles served as one of the worst shooting teams in the entire league in the first week and change of the season, so the absence of the scoring woes has been a bit of a surprise. The biggest reason for the improved play on offense has been the superb play of Anthony Davis. In fact, during his last three games, Davis is averaging 35 PPG and looks like the same player that was extremely elite back in his New Orleans days. Whether it has yet to be seen if Davis can continue this stretch when LeBron comes back to the lineup, the fact that Davis looks like his former and healthy self is a huge bonus.
Not to mention, the bench play has come in clutch as of late and has been a big reason why the Lakers have been as successful as they have been during the past week With that being said, another stellar bench outing would do wonders in covering the spread for the Lakers in this one.
Why The Suns Could Cover The Spread
Switching gears to this Phoenix Suns team and how they can cover the spread on Tuesday night, there is no question that the Suns miss Chris Paul out on the court. However, injuries are a part of the game and require every team around the league during the regular season to adjust accordingly. Alas, this is exactly the approach that Phoenix must equip themselves with if they are going to cover versus the Lakers.
To begin, the greatest thing that the Suns have going for them in comparison to the Lakers is their record against the spread. At first glance, Los Angeles has been quite underwhelming with a 5-10 record whereas Phoenix has made a lot of their fellow bettor's money with a 10-6 mark. While these records also symbolize their exact wins and losses, it is also an indictment of how trustworthy these teams can be. Yes, the Lakers may be in the midst of a three-game winning streak, but Phoenix has hands down been the better squad over the past couple of seasons. In addition, Los Angeles remains winless out on the road at 0-5 and will be facing off with a Suns squad that has been nearly unbeatable at home with an 8-1 record.
However, the biggest difference-maker for the Suns in this one will fall upon the shoulders of the one-two punch of Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. Arguably the top two playmakers with Paul not in the starting lineup, the Suns will only go as far as these two take them later tonight. Outside of these two, be on the lookout for point guard Cameron Payne who led all Suns' scorers with 21 points in their last win versus the Knicks.
Final Lakers-Suns Prediction & Pick
There is no doubt that these two teams don't like each other, but only one side will be all smiles when the clock hits triple zeroes. When the dust settles, it will be the Suns that have the last laugh.
Final Lakers-Suns Prediction & Pick: Suns -9.5 (-112)
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