Lakeshow Favored vs Suns in 1st Quarters
Suns vs Lakers Betting Preview
The In-Season Tournament continues on Tuesday and we have a Suns vs Lakers preview for the Western Conference headliner.
The NBA Pacific division is packed with quality teams, including the Lakers and Suns. However, only one moves into the semifinals.
Suns vs Lakers
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The Sun Could Shine
It’s a rare occurrence to find the Suns listed as +1.5 underdogs in the sportsbook, but bettors might find value in that line.
Recent performances haven’t showcased their best basketball, with losses to the Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets. However, they managed to bounce back with a 116-109 victory over the Grizzlies.
Despite boasting some of the NBA’s premier scorers in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns have fallen short of expectations so far, but that could all change against the Lakers.
Their 9-10-1 record against the spread raises concerns, which is likely due to being the favorites in most of their games. Bettors don’t often see the Suns listed as underdogs on the NBA schedule, so it could be a good time for bettors to strike.
With Bradley Beal is sidelined, the combination of Durant and Booker needs to exploit the older Lakers roster. The main worry, however, is the Suns’ recent lack of explosive offense, failing to score over 116 points in their last five games.
If Durant or Booker get hot, they are good enough to put the team on their back. Our Suns vs Lakers preview must take this into account, and there could be late money for the Suns, who always attract attention late in the day.
Lakers Love Being Home
The Lakers are 8-2 at home, which is a tough statistic for our Suns vs Lakers preview to overlook.
The Lakers boast a perfect 2-0 record against the Suns, securing a 100-95 victory at home in October and following it up with a 122-119 road triumph last month. This suggests they’ve uncovered a winning formula against the Suns.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis form a formidable duo, particularly potent in crucial games, and their focus is set on securing victory in the In-Season Tournament.
Despite recent setbacks on the road against Philadelphia and Oklahoma City, they bounced back with a convincing 107-97 home win against Houston, which further confirms their dominance at Crypto.com Arena.
Getting off to slow starts has plagued the Lakers, but they came out much stronger against Houston.
“That’s probably one of the best quarters that we had this year, especially in the first half. We just haven’t been a first-half team,” James said. “It came with defending, getting out, sharing the ball, moving the ball and A.R. was special in the second.”
James doesn’t often lose big games, and although the In-Season Tournament is only a money incentive, which he doesn’t need any more of, it’s also about pride and winning the inaugural competition.
The Line is Generous
As dangerous as the Suns are, we can’t turn down the -2 line with the Lakers, who top our NBA picks today.
They have proven awfully tough to beat at home, and that could be the ultimate difference. They also have James and Davis, who are big bodies in the middle of the floor.
The Suns’ strength is knocking down outside shots, but if those shots don’t fall, they usually lose.
We’re locking in the Lakers -1.5 and over 228 points. It should be a free flowing game with plenty of buckets scored, and after the opening line of 224½ was set, it has been one-way traffic at the sportsbook.
