The Los Angeles Lakers have been pretty sloppy over the last couple of games and they are looking to establish a better rhythm. It should come easy tomorrow against the visiting Phoenix Suns, a team they’ve already beaten twice this season.

HOME TEAM: Los Angeles Lakers (39-12, 17-7 at home)

The Lakers are only 3-3 in their last six games, and they are allowing 115.2 PPG over that span. Two of the losses were unexpected to say the least – one was a 127-119 upset against the ninth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers, which was courtesy of giving up 48 points to Damian Lillard, and another was a 121-111 dud opposite the small-ball Houston Rockets, who didn’t even have a starter above 6’6.

Sunday’s 125-120 win over the Golden State Warriors was good, but it also highlighted the lazy defense the Lakers are showcasing lately. They almost blew a 16-point lead to one of the league’s worst teams and were bailed out by a Hail Mary three from LeBron James.

We’ll see if they can turn up the effort tomorrow. James is averaging a triple-double in the season series (25 PPG, 10.5 APG, 11.5 APG) and it’s followed-up nicely by a double-double from Anthony Davis (25 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 54.5 FG%).

Avery Bradley just had a season-high 21 points and has scored 15 or more in three of his last four. It will be interesting to see if he can keep the pace up.

ROAD TEAM: Phoenix Suns (21-32, 11-14 on the road)

After demolishing the Rockets by 36 points, the Suns quickly went back to the loss column on Sunday. They lost to the Denver Nuggets, 117-108, for their fifth defeat in six games.

Phoenix could be in for another long night, but considering the shakiness of the Lakers, particularly to guarding volume scorers, there’s a chance.

Aside from Devin Booker, who’s having the scoring season that the majority expected (26.7 PPG), two other Suns are riding great stretches. DeAndre Ayton is posting 22.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game in his last seven, while Kelly Oubre Jr. is at 27.5 PPG on 53.3%-shooting this past week, which includes consecutive games where he had 30 and 39 points.

PREDICTION:

D-Book has a big night but the Lakers will be able to hold on and win, 119-113. It’s time the Lake Show reverts back to their smooth play from earlier in the season if they want to prove they are for real.

The Davis and Ayton showdown on the paint is intriguing regardless.