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Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers NBA Picks, Odds, Predictions 6/3/2021

Phoenix Suns (54-23) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (45-33)
June 3, 2021 10:30 pm EDT
The Line: Los Angeles Lakers -2.5; Over/Under: -208.5
(Get latest betting odds)

The Los Angeles Lakers will be hoping to stave off elimination against the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the NBA Playoffs at the Staples Center on Thursday. The Phoenix Suns are hoping to book their ticket to the next round after taking a 3-2 series lead with a 115-85 win in Game 5 on Tuesday.

Devin Booker led the Suns with 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists on 13 of 23 shooting, Cameron Payne added 16 points off the bench while Mikal Bridges chipped in with 13 points and two blocks. As a team, the Suns shot 45 percent from the field and 14 of 42 from the 3-point line as they set the tone with 34 points in the first quarter to take the early lead, before holding the Lakers to just 10 points in the second quarter to lead by 30 points going into halftime. Chris Paul scored just nine points and six assists in 23 minutes of action while DeAndre Ayton scored just eight points, but they were hardly needed as the Suns were in cruise control well before halftime.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to keep their season alive after getting routed by the Suns in an embarrassing loss on Tuesday. Anthony Davis sat out the game with a strained left groin, so other players needed to step up in his absence. LeBron James led the team with just 24 points and seven assists, Kyle Kuzma added 15 points off the bench while Talen Horton-Tucker chipped in with 11 points and 11 rebounds, but no other player finished in double figures in scoring. As a team, the Lakers shot just 34 percent from the field and 12 of 35 from the 3-point line, but they couldn’t find their offense early and never looked threatening. Andre Drummond scored just seven points on two of five shooting while Dennis Schroder finished scoreless on zero of nine shooting.

Looking at the betting trends, the Suns are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six road games 0-6-1 ATS in their last seven games following a win of more than 10 points and 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight games overall. The Lakers are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 home games, 4-1 ATS in their last five games following a loss and 6-13-1 ATS in their last 20 games overall.

Head to head, the under is 7-2 in the last nine meetings in Los Angeles and the Suns are 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings in Los Angeles.

The Lakers didn’t put up much of a fight in Game 5 and the bad news is that they could again be without Anthony Davis who is listed as questionable with that groin strain. The Suns looked down and out in this series after Game 3, but they’ve been the better team in the last two games and now have a prime opportunity to slay the Lakers in the first round. The availability of Davis has a major impact on this game, but assuming he’s not at 100 percent, I’m going with the Suns to finish the job with a hard-fought win in this one.

Peter Tran's Free Pick: Phoenix +2.5

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Peter Tran

Peter Trans is an acclaimed Expert NBA Handicapper, renowned for his insightful analysis and predictions in the world of professional basketball. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the game, Peter has established himself as a trusted authority among basketball enthusiasts and bettors alike. His expertise is showcased on SportsChatPlace.com, where he provides in-depth game analyses, betting tips, and forecasts that are both highly informative and remarkably accurate.

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