NBA Betting Preview: Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers

Added on Mar 22, 2011 by Jack Thurman in

NBA

The only other NBA betting opportunity currently on the board (Portland/Washington is currently off the board) is a Western Conference battle between the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns at the Staples Center. The Lakers are in second place in the conference 7 games back of the San Antonio Spurs but have already locked up the Pacific Division holding a 14 game lead over the second place Suns. Such is the magnitude of the Lakers lead that the Suns aren’t even playoff eligible at this point–they’re currently in 10th place 1/2 game behind 9th place Houston and 2 1/2 games behind 8th place Memphis.

Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers
March 22, 2011 7:35 PM Pacific

The Los Angeles Lakers are the Jason Voorhees of the NBA. Like the villain from the ‘Friday the 13th’ movie series, just when you think you’ve seen the last of them they lurch out of the primordial ooze to wreak havoc on the league. In mid February, the Lakers lost 3 straight games and the lemmings in the mainstream sports media were quick to proclaim that there would be no title for Kobe and company this year. Since then? The Lakers have lost once, going 12-1 SU and enter this game having won 9 of their last 10 games. They haven’t been a great pointspread team for most of the year, but are currently on a 9-4 ATS run.

Things aren’t going as well in Phoenix, where Steve Nash is starting to look his 37 years and has been hampered by a nagging groin injury. The Suns have lost 6 of their last 10 and are on a 8-8-1 ATS run. The biggest mismatch in this game is in team defense–the Lakers are a top ten defense, currently ranking #7 allowing 94.8 PPG. The Suns are #25 allowing 105.1 PPG. The Washington Wizards play better team defense than Phoenix which is a frightening concept. The Suns are coming off a pair of wins but against opponents (Golden State, LA Clippers) that play at a favorable tempo. The Lakers have won 2 of the 3 meetings this year, but the Suns have covered two of the last three. Unfortunately, Phoenix is regressing as the season enters its stretch run while the Lakers are starting to round into playoff form. Given that dynamic, we’d rather lay the points with ‘The Black Mamba’ and company.

Bet Los Angeles Lakers -7 over Phoenix Suns