The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers lock horns at Staples Center in LA on Thursday night, so here’s the best betting pick for Game 6 of their 2021 NBA Playoffs Western Conference first-round series.
The reigning champions are on the brink of elimination after two straight losses to the Suns, but the Lakers are still 3-point favorites for Thursday’s clash, according to William Hill Sportsbook. The totals are set at 208.5 points, and the under has hit in four of the first five contests of this series.
The Suns want to finish the job in Los Angeles
The Phoenix Suns had a terrific game last Tuesday, dismantling the Lakers as 4.5-point home favorites, 115-85, to take a 3-2 lead and get one step away from the Western Conference semifinals. Monty Williams’ boys committed a paltry four turnovers while handing out 29 assists. They held the Lakers to just 34.5% shooting from the field and yielded only 32 points in the paint.
Devin Booker led the way for Phoenix with 30 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. He hit the 30-point mark for the third time in this series. Chris Paul played just 23 minutes and finished with nine points and six assists, while Cameron Payne added 16 points off the bench.
The Suns are without Abdel Nader (knee), but all their key guys are ready to go. Phoenix will look for another strong performance on both sides of the ball. The Suns finished the regular season with the fifth-best offensive rating (117.2 points per 100 possessions) and the ninth-best defensive rating in the league (111.3).
The Lakers desperately need Anthony Davis back
The reigning champs missed Anthony Davis (groin) in Game 5 and completely fell apart without their superstar. However, that’s not an excuse for a sloppy performance, as the Lakers’ starting five combined for 35 points.
Both Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went scoreless, though Caldwell-Pope struggled with a knee injury. LeBron James had 24 points and seven assists in 32 minutes on the floor, while Andre Drummond added seven points and 13 rebounds.
The Lakers posted the best defensive rating in the NBA this past regular season (107.1) while scoring only 109.9 points in a return (24th in the league). They are not the same team without Anthony Davis who’s listed as questionable for Game 6. The Lakers shot below 40.0% from the field in each of the previous two games against Phoenix while dishing out just 33 assists in total.
Trends:
Phoenix:
- 12-6 ATS in the last 18 outings as underdogs
LA Lakers:
- 3-7 ATS in the last ten games overall
- 3-7 ATS in the last ten tilts against the Pacific Division
NBA Picks
With their season on the line, the Lakers need to bring their best game Thursday even if Anthony Davis suits up and gives 20 or so minutes, as that groin injury will certainly bother him. On the other side, the Suns are in the playoffs for the first time since 2010, so they must be fired up to eliminate the defending champions.
Therefore, I’m expecting a hard-fought battle for all 48 minutes. The Suns should be able to keep it close so I’m backing them to cover a 5-point spread, though I think it’s time for the Lakers to go home.
Pick: Phoenix Suns +5.0 at -150
The Total:
Betting on the under is a logical choice, considering what we’ve seen so far in this series. As I’ve already mentioned, the under is 4-1, and each one of the last three games produced fewer than 205 points in total.
Of course, with a total of just 208.5 points, this is a tough wager, but with both teams leaning on a stout defense and playing at quite a slow pace, this clash should not be finished in the over.
Pick: Go under 208.5 points at -110