Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns Game 1 Prediction, Playoff Odds
It took a close Play-In Tournament win against Golden State, but the defending champion L.A. Lakers are in the playoffs as potentially the most dangerous No. 7 seed in NBA history. But, they’ll have a tough test agains a Phoenix Suns team that is in the playoffs for the first time in over 10 years.
Phoenix is a 2.5-point favourite to win on the NBA odds with a total of 213.
Lakers vs. Suns NBA Playoff Odds
The Suns won two of three meetings against L.A. this year, but it’s tough to get an accurate picture as the lakers were shorthanded in all three games. Anthony Davis missed the first and second game, while LeBron James missed the second and third game. Davis’ best game of the year was a 42-point performance against the Suns in a 123-110 L.A. win on May 9. The total went Over in two of the three games in this season series.
The Lakers finished the season strong, winning their last six games, including the Play-In game against Steph Curry and the Warriors. They were 32-40-1 against the spread this season, but they’ve only covered in one of their last five games. Historically, these teams combine for high scoring games. The total has gone Over in 10 of L.A.’s last 13 games in Phoenix.
Phoenix’s young squad took a huge step forward this year by finishing with the No. 2 seed in the West. They were most dangerous at home, finishing with a 27-9 record and winning 14 of their last 15 games at Phoenix Suns Arena. The Suns were a great cover option in the regular season, going 42-28-2 ATS and covering in 23 of 36 home games. The total has gone Over in nine of Phoenix’s last 10 games.
Los Angeles Lakers
Injuries have been the story of the season for L.A., but with James and Davis seemingly healthy again, this has got to be the first No. 7 team that is arguably the favourite in the West. The Lakers’ current six-game win streak actually began with their win against Phoenix on May 9. James didn’t play in that game because of an ankle injury, but Davis had his best game of the season, finishing with 42 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
James is the key player to watch in this series. He was incredible in last year’s championship-run, averaging 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game in the playoffs. The concern, however, is that he missed 26 of L.A.’s final 30 games with an ankle injury. But, if James can play to the level he did in the Play-In win over Golden State, the Lakers could be primed for another big run. James finished the Play-In game with a triple-double of 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, including the winning 3-point shot over Curry.
Phoenix Suns
The big storyline around Phoenix is if the young players on this roster are ready to take the next step? The Suns finished the year with the seventh-best offence in the league and the sixth-best defence. The only other teams to finish in the top-10 of both categories were the Bucks, Clippers and Jazz, all top contending teams. Outside of Chris Paul and Jae Crowder, this will be the first taste of playoff basketball for most Phoenix players. Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton are all making their playoff debuts. Paul has 109 career playoff games under his belt, while Crowder has 72 and was a key piece in Miami’s run to the NBA Finals last year.
Look for Phoenix to lean on Booker’s scoring and Paul’s veteran leadership for this series. Booker is averaging 26.2 points per game over the last three seasons, the eighth-highest mark in the league over that time, and all eyes will be on him in his playoff debut. Paul is the piece that ties this team together. He averaged 16.4 points, 1.4 steals and 8.9 assists per game and led the league in free throw percentage (.934) this year. It’s the first time Paul and James will meet in the playoffs. They’ve met 28 times in the regular season, with Paul coming out on top 13 times.
LAL
PHO