L.A. Lakers at Phoenix Suns Betting Odds


Opening Betting Lines: Lakers +2.5 / Suns -2.5 O/U 219

Time: 8:30 PM EST Sunday May 22, 2010 on TNT

The Lakers lead this best of 7 series 2-0.

Well, back to the drawing board for the Suns, who host the L.A. Lakers in Game of the Western Conference finals tonight. The Lakers won the first 2 games of the series in L.A. playing the Suns style of basketball.

The Suns are a solid team at home and they need to play much better than they did in L.A. or they will be in a 3-0 hole, which is a deficit no team in the history of the NBA has ever come back form in the playoffs.

Phoenix has to figure out how to stop a Lakers team that combined to score a whopping 252 points on 57% shooting in the first 2 games of this series.

This season the Suns were 32-9 at home and 47-34-1 ATS and the Lakers were 23-18 on the road and 34-46-2 ATS.

The Suns did a good job playing perimeter D in Game 2 on Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, as they only combined for 28 points on 10/27 shooting, but the other Lakers stepped up, as they have so many weapons. Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Ron Artest combined to score 64 points and each player show well above 50% from the floor. The Lakers also shot lights out from deep hitting on 56.3% of their 3-point shots.

The Suns have to play better D in the paint, as in Game 2 the Lakers had 52 points in the paint.

After a poor shooting Game 1 from beyond the 3-point arc the Suns did hit on 41.7% of their 3-point shots in Game 2, but they still only had 16 points off the fast break and were out-rebounded in the game.

Steve Nash has to step it up tonight, as in Game 2 he only had 11 points and even though he dished out 15 assists he did have 5 turnovers.

Even though the Suns were not a good team on defense this season they have to play better on that end of the court tonight. I mean, every Suns starter shot over 50% from the field in Game 2 and Phoenix still lost by 12 points.

Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom combined for 20 boards in Game 2 and the Suns have to keep these guys from dominating the glass tonight.

Betting Trends

L.A. is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games, 7-2 ATS in their last 9 playoff games as an underdog, and has an Over record of 5-0-1 in their last 6 games.

Phoenix is 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 home games, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff games as a favorite, and has an Over record of 5-1 in their last 6 home games.

Our Selection : Take the Lakers +2.5 at SportsInteraction.


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NBA Handicapping

Dallas Mavericks at Miami Heat Odds 6-12
The Mavs are up 3-2 in this series heading to South Beach and for the Heat to force Game 7 they will have to play better in the 4th quarter, especially LeBron James. 5Dimes has the hometown Heat as 5-point favorites in Game 6 with a total of 187.

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