LeBron James, Lakers Look to Stay Perfect Against Suns
Lakers vs Suns Bets: Los Angeles Opens as Slight Favorite
There will be no shortage of star power when the Phoenix Suns visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday (10 p.m. ET). Although both teams have gotten off to underwhelming starts, there’s still time for them to put things together and become contenders in the NBA’s Western Conference.
Los Angeles opened as a 1.5-point favorite and -120 on the moneyline, with Phoenix priced at +100 to win outright. Meanwhile, the projected total is 237.5.
Who has the edge? Read on as we break down both teams and assess the odds to help you make your Lakers vs Suns bets.
Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers 
Location: Crypto. com Arena; Los Angeles
Day/Time: Streaming: TNT
Lakers vs Suns Betting Trends
The Phoenix Suns are 13-23-1 ATS, including 6-8-1 away from home. Phoenix’s cover rate of 36.1% is the second-lowest in the NBA. The Suns have gone Over the total in 21 of their 37 games. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers are 17-22 ATS, including 9-11 at home. They’re also 20-19 against the Over/Under.
Be sure to remember these trends when making your Lakers vs Suns bets.
Sun Setting on Phoenix?
A rash of NBA injuries has contributed to a slower-than-anticipated start for the Suns, who find themselves at 19-18 near the regular season’s midway point. The Suns have dropped three of their last four games, including a 138-111 loss to the Clippers on Monday as 5.5-point underdogs. They’re currently third in the Pacific Division and ninth in the Western Conference NBA standings.
Phoenix’s Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal is intact again after some early injury woes, raising optimism that a turnaround isn’t far off. The Suns still have the third-best odds to win the
West (+700) and remain among the favorites to win the NBA title (+1200).
Durant has been the most reliable of Phoenix’s star-studded trio, averaging the fifth-most points (29.6). Durant also owns the second-best 3-point percentage (47.4) and has played in 30 of a possible 37 games. He’s now +4500 to win NBA MVP. Booker is averaging 26.1 points and Beal 16.4, with the latter having missed 24 games already.
The Suns remain one of the least profitable teams for bettors, with a record of 13-23-1 ATS. They’ve failed to cover in 16 of their last 20 games and are just 6-8-1 ATS on the road. They’re already 0-3 SU against the Lakers this season and twice failed to cover. Bettors should keep that in mind when compiling their Lakers vs Suns bets.
Uneven Start for Lake Show
Like Phoenix, the Lakers are still trying to find their footing. Besides winning the inaugural in-season tournament, the Lakers have done little to separate themselves as contenders. At 19-19, they’re sitting 10th in the West.
Los Angeles is coming off a 132-131 victory over Toronto on Tuesday in which Anthony Davis matched a season-high with 41 points to go with 11 rebounds and six assists. Despite that, Los Angeles, a 5-point favorite, failed to cover for the fourth time in its last five games.
Along with Davis, LeBron James continues to carry a heavy load for Los Angeles. James is averaging 25.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists, showing no signs of slowing down in his 20th NBA season. Just as impressive is the fact that James, who turns 40 later this month, is playing 34.6 minutes a night.
Assuming Los Angeles remains in the mix for the postseason, it may look to add reinforcements at next month’s trade deadline. Other changes could involve Darvin Ham, who has drawn criticism for the Lakers’ lackluster start regarding his handling of their rotation. Injuries to James, Davis and D’Angelo Russell have complicated matters.
Oddsmakers are a bit skeptical of the Lakers’ ability to contend, pricing them +1100 in the West and +2200 to win the NBA Finals. Even so, they’re one of nine teams with better than 25/1 NBA futures odds.
Los Angeles is 14-6 at home compared to just 6-13 on the road. But it’s covered in nine of its 20 games at Crypto.com Arena.
Handicapping the Game
Los Angeles is already 3-0 against Phoenix this season, but those wins came by a total of 11 points. It’s hard to put much stock into what happened because both teams have been riddled with injuries to this point.
Bettors always need to be wary of veterans like Durant and James sitting out, but that doesn’t appear to be an issue in this case. Both teams should have their full complement of stars available.
Notably, the Lakers have won five straight against Phoenix and are 4-1 ATS in those matchups.
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