NBA: Suns vs Lakers Prediction, Odds and Pick (Apr 7)
- The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to avoid the play-in tournament at all costs.
- The Phoenix Suns have locked in the 4th seed in the Western Conference.
- The Lakers beat the Suns by 11 a couple of weeks ago without Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton.
The Lakers have gone 7-2 in the past nine games to surge right into the playoff conversation and they sit just one game back of the 6th seed. The Suns don’t have anything left to play for, so it will be interesting to see if they rest their starters.
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How to Watch
- Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
- When: Friday, April 7, 2023, 10:30 PM ET
- How to Watch: NBA, SN-LA, BSAZ
Odds
| Team | Spread |
| Los Angeles Lakers | -6.5 |
| Phoenix Suns | +6.5 |
Game Preview
The Lakers are coming off a frustrating loss to the Clippers, although it was the second game of a back-to-back and the third game in four nights. LeBron James dropped 33 points and Austin Reaves scored 20 as Anthony Davis chipped in 17 points and 11 rebounds.
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The Suns have locked up the 4th seed in the Western Conference, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them rest some of their stars. However, Kevin Durant played 40 minutes on Thursday against the Denver Nuggets and each of Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Chris Paul played north of 30 minutes in the 119-115 victory.
But playing those guys again — on the second leg of a back-to-back — would be a bit surprising with nothing at stake. However, we haven’t seen LeBron and Durant face off against one another since Christmas of 2018.
Picks
The Lakers are in the playoffs, that’s the good news for LeBron James and company. However, avoiding the play-in is the priority, and a win over the Suns is essential if they want to sneak into the top-6 of the Western Conference. Both LeBron and Davis should be able to suit up after heavy minutes against the Clippers, and with so much at stake, the Lakers get the win even if the Suns decide to play Durant and Booker.
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