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Suns vs Lakers: A Western Conference Classic
Two Western Conference powerhouses will face each other tonight at the Crypto.com Arena. Both the Lakers and the Suns are underachieving this season and it is time for them to make a step forward in the standings.
The Suns need to bounce back
The Phoenix Suns are eighth in the Western Conference with a 19-18 record. They have split the last 10 games and are coming off back-to-back losses against Memphis and the Clippers. The last one was pretty bad, losing by 27 points in LA. Phoenix is 16th in the league, scoring 115.2 points per game, and is the top team when it comes to defensive rebounds, with 39.6 per game. The Suns are also second in the league in free throws made by game with 21.4. Kevin Durant leads the team with 29.6 points per game.
Can the Lakers build on the momentum?
The Los Angeles Lakers are ninth in the Western Conference with a 19-19 record. They are pretty solid at home, with a 13-6 record. After losing four consecutive games, the Lakers are coming off back-to-back wins against the Clippers and the Raptors. The Lakers are ninth in the league with 14.4 assists per game and are ranked eighth with 5.6 blocks per game. They are a solid shooting team, being ranked sixth in the league with 48.7% from the field. LeBron James is averaging 25.1 points, 7.5 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game.
Betting Trends
The Lakers have played over the total point line in 11 of the last 15 games, in 4 of the last 6 against the Suns and in 7 of the last 9 against Western Conference teams. Phoenix has played over in 4 of the last 5 against conference rivals.
Player to watch
Anthony Davis is the leading scorer for the Lakers with 25.7 points per game, and he is ranked second in the league with 12.2 rebounds per game. Davis is coming off an impressive performance, recording 41 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists in the win against the Raptors.
Injury Reports
Gabe Vincent and Rui Hachimura are out for the Lakers while Damion Lee will miss this game for the Suns.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both the Suns and the Lakers have a lot to make up in the second half of the season. They are only in the Play-In Tournament zone, which is way lower than their expectations. Both teams are excellent on the offensive end of the floor, and the Lakers went over 130 points in the last game. The total point line is set at 235.5 points, which is quite high but not high enough for these two teams to take the game over it.
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