The Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers lock horns for the second time this season, with the Suns holding a 1-0 lead in the head-to-head. Will Phoenix add to its league-best record? Or, will the Lakers snap out of their slump with a win?
Catch this game live on Wednesday, December 22, at 11 AM, Manila time.
Away: Phoenix Suns (24-5/10-3 on the road)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Chris Paul
- SG: Devin Booker
- SF: Mikal Bridges
- PF: Jae Crowder
- C: Deandre Ayton
The Suns just keep on rising. In their most recent outing, they cracked the whip on the Charlotte Hornets and demolished the Michael Jordan-owned franchise in a 137-106 home win last Monday to extend Phoenix’s win streak to three games. It’s only about to get even better for the Suns, who finally got Devin Booker back. Booker returned from a seven-game absence and scored 16 points on 6/15 shooting from the field against the Hornets.
The rusty shooting performance could be due to his lengthy absence, so he should be much better this Wednesday when the Suns take on the banged-up Lakers. The former Kentucky Wildcats hotshot scored 22 points on 9/19 shooting in the Suns’ 115-105 road win against the Lakers back in October. With Anthony Davis sidelined for the Lakers, Deandre Ayton can take advantage of the LA’s slim frontcourt and exploitable interior defense. The Suns are 14-9-0 ATS in games this season following a win.
Home: Los Angeles Lakers (16-15/10-7 at home)
Projected Starting Five:
- PG: Russell Westbrook
- SG: Isaiah Thomas
- SF: Wayne Ellington
- PF: LeBron James
- C: DeAndre Jordan
While the Suns are enjoying a healthy roster, the Lakers are dealing with temporary losses of several players due to COVID-19-related issues. Anthony Davis is also out for a considerable amount of time because of a knee injury, leaving the Lakers severely depleted. That said, they still have LeBron James. The soon-to-be 37-year-old James scored 31 points and pulled down 14 rebounds with six assists, albeit in a 115-110 loss to the Chicago Bulls in Windy City on Monday.
James is trying to carry the Lakers on his back, and he’s now averaged 25.8 points on 50.7 FG% in the last four Lakers games. But he’s also still getting help from an old friend. Isaiah Thomas was inked by the Lakers just last week and in two games in Lakers threads this season, the diminutive guard has averaged 16.0 points on 50 FG%. Carmelo Anthony shouldn’t also be slept upon in this rematch against Phoenix. He came off the bench and fired 16 points with four 3-pointers in the first meeting with the Suns. The Lakers are 8-6-0 ATS this season in games after a loss.
PREDICTIONS:
Spread: After two tough losses, the Lakers will show some fight. Picking the Lakers (+7) to cover in this game.
Over/Under: It’s easy to think that the Lakers won’t have the firepower to keep up with the Suns, but with LeBron, Westbrook, and a resurgent IT, the Lakers can shock the Suns on offense. Liking the Over (219.0) pick for this one.
