The Los Angeles Lakers host the Phoenix Suns on Friday, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet.
The Lakers improved to 51-29 on Thursday with a 119-103 win over the Golden State Warriors that stopped a three-game losing streak. They’re still looking for optimal playoff seeding, and they can still finish with the Western Conference’s third seed by winning both of their remaining games if the Denver Nuggets, who are currently in third place, lose one of their two remaining contests.
Phoenix, meanwhile, has been struggling over the last several weeks after looking like a sneaky good team during the first half of the season. It has a 44-36 record and is in seventh place in the West, but it has lost nine of its last 14 games. Devin Booker, its franchise player, will not be in action during Friday’s game due to an ankle injury.
The lines, courtesy of BetMGM
- Money line: Suns -135/ Lakers +110
Lakers vs Suns injury reports
Suns: Jalen Green (right knee soreness) is questionable. Devin Booker (right ankle injury management), Jordan Goodwin (left ankle sprain) and Haywood Highsmith (right knee injury management) are out.
Lakers: No injury report has been submitted yet, but Luka Doncic (left hamstring strain), Jaxson Hayes (left foot soreness), Austin Reaves (left oblique muscle strain) and Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) missed their previous game.
Advice and Prediction:
The Suns, like the Warriors did on Thursday, will face the Lakers at something considerably less than full strength. Booker is averaging 26.1 points a game this season, and they will greatly miss his shot-creation ability.
But they will still have Dillon Brooks, the self-avowed villain and adversary of James who is having a career year. He’s putting up a career-high 20.3 points a game, and in a 132-108 win against the Lakers in late December, he put forth 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting. He is someone Los Angeles will absolutely have to keep under control.
Phoenix is fourth in points off turnovers per game and second in opponents’ turnover percentage, as well as seventh in second-chance points per game. The Lakers will, as usual, have to limit their live-ball turnovers and make sure they limit Phoenix to one shot per possession as much as possible.
As long as they do those things well enough, they should win, especially given the fact that Booker will be sidelined.
Prediction: Lakers 112, Suns 108
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
