Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers 12/21/2021 NBA Preview and Prediction

The Phoenix Suns visit the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Tuesday night.

Phoenix is currently the no. 1 seed in the Western Conference at 24-5 and has the best record in the entire NBA, one-half game better than the Golden State Warriors. Phoenix heads to this contest having lost just twice in their last 25 games played. The Suns are 10-3 SU in their last 13 games played away from home.

Los Angeles is 16-15 on the season and they are next to last in the Pacific Division team standings. If the playoffs began today, they would have to go through the play-in tournament just to enter the postseason. The Lakers are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played and 10-7 SU in 17 home games played this year.

Phoenix Suns

Devin Booker scored 16 points in his first game back from a hamstring injury as the Suns blew out the Charlotte Hornets 137-101. Deandre Ayton had a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds while Mikal Bridges added 16 points and Landry Shamet added 15 markers.

Phoenix ranks 3rd in the NBA in scoring at 111.9 points per game. They are 8th overall in rebounding at 45.8 boards grabbed per contest. The Suns are the 4th best passing team in the NBA at 26.3 assists per game and they have the 4th best scoring defense in town at only 104.6 points per game allowed.

Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James had another big night with 31 points,14 rebounds, and six assists but without Anthony Davis, the Lakers came up short against the Chicago Bulls which welcomed back DeMar Derozan who delivered the big baskets when the Bulls needed them. Mikal Bridges made 4 of 6 three-pointers and scored 16 points.

The Lakers rank 8th in the league in scoring at 110.5 points per game scored. Los Angeles is 6th in the NBA in rebounding at 46.0 boards grabbed per contest and 11th in passing at 24.5 assists per game. The Lakers are 26th in scoring defense at 111.3 points per game allowed this season.

Who Wins?

Phoenix is 18-2 SU in their last 20 games played. The Suns are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games played on the road. Los Angeles is 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played. The Lakers are 10-7 SU in 17 home games played this season, and 4-1 SU in their last five Tuesday games.

Head to head, the Suns are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played against the Lakers.

The Lakers don’t have chemistry at all this season. They have excellent talent from top to bottom but they don’t play well together. LeBron James has been fire and ice, looking unstoppable in some games and them playing like the washed king in some. Without AD, the Lakers are at a huge disadvantage. I expect the Suns to take advantage and cover the spread.

Prediction: Phoenix Suns

Other Bets to Make

Phoenix is 4-1 ATS in their last seven games played. The Suns are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as betting favorites, 4-1 ATS in their last five Tuesday games, 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games after allowing their opponents to score 100 or more points in their previous game, 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games after an ATS win, 51-25-1 ATS in their last 77 games when playing on one day rest, and 7-6 ATS in 13 road games played this season.

Los Angeles is 12-19 ATS in 31 games played this season. The Lakers are 6-11 ATS in 17 home games played this campaign, 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games as home underdogs, 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games when playing on one day rest, 6-18 ATS in their last 24 games after an ATS win, and 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games against an opponent with a winning straight up record.

Head to head, the Suns are 4-0 ATS in their last four games played against the Lakers.

Los Angeles will be without eight players including Anthony Davis. They will also be without head coach Frank Vogel so a lot rests in the broad shoulders of LeBron James. However, James hasn’t been consistently the dominant force the Lakers want him to be. There are nights when he’s great and then those where he plays like trash.

With Devin Booker back, the Suns are expected to be better than ever. Los Angeles’ lack of chemistry and lack of regular players due to COVID-19 will make them easy prey for the Suns.

Prediction: Phoenix Suns -7

The total has gone under in six out of the last 10 games played by the Suns. The under is 3-0-1 in their last four Tuesday games, 3-0-1 in their last four road games, 8-1-2 in their last 11 road games against an opponent with a winning home record, 4-1-1 in their last six games after allowing 100 or more points in their previous game, 4-1-1 in their last six games against an opponent with a winning SU record, and 5-2 in their last seven games after a straight-up win of more than 10 points.

The total has gone under in six out of the Lakers’ last seven games. The under is 5-0 in their last five games after scoring more than 100 points in their previous game, 5-1 in their last six games when allowing more than 100 points in their previous game, 5-1-1 in their last seven games against an opponent with a winning SU record, and 4-1 when playing on one day rest.

Head to head, the under is 5-1-1 in the last seven meetings between these two teams. The total has gone under in eight out of the last 11 meetings in Los Angeles.

These teams have combined to score an average of 208.5 points per game in their last 10 head-to-head meetings and 201.0 points per game in their last three games against each other.

Both teams rank in the Top 10 in the NBA in scoring with the Suns at no. 3 and the Lakers at no. 8. Phoenix owns the league’s 4th best scoring defense at only 104.6 points per game allowed while the Lakers have scored more than 110 points only once in their last six games played and will be without Anthony Davis again in this game.

Phoenix has held 8 out of its last 10 opponents to 107 or fewer points and with the Lakers struggling to score in recent games, they are going to find it hard to put up points against the Suns.

Prediction: Under 219

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