MONDAY MAY 17, 2010 – Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers
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Team records:
Phoenix: 54-28 SU, 48-32-2 ATS
L.A.: 57-25 SU, 34-46-2 ATS
It’s Kobe time.
Turnaround jumper with a hand in his face as the shot clock expires. Slash through the land, defenses collapses and he gets two free throws. Avert your attention as he steals the ball from your dribble.
Matchup: SUNS vs. LAKERS
Time: Monday 9:00 ET
Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles
Spread: Lakers -6.5
Over/Under: 210.5
It’s all about Kobe now. A Kobe-like series probably turns out the lights on the Suns’ nice playoff run, but if Kobe isn’t Kobe, Phoenix actually has a fighting chance despite the long odds. The Western Conference finals are starting, and the Black Mamba is in the house.
Andrew Bynum says his knees are still aching. No matter. Bryant’s ailing finger gets better every day, and by the time the Suns and Lakers tip off on Monday, LA will have had nearly 7 full days of rest since putting the Jazz out of their misery in 4 straight games in the Western semis.
Much has been made over the last week about the defensive assignments, particularly how the Lakers will man-up in trying to stop the Suns’ balls-to-the-wall offense and standout long-range shooting. 
Bryant will probably keep tabs on Jason Richardson, who is Phoenix’s top scorer; while Derek Fisher will try to somehow keep Nash in front of him. Even moderate success on the perimeter will make life cramped for Suns big Amare Stoudemire, who is capable of going off for 35 and 15 if he’s not accounted for.
On the other side of the court, Grant Hill will probably guard Bryant. Hill has the size to deal with Bryant in halfcourt sets, and with Hill on Bryant, Richardson can stay fresh to run the court and be more effective on offense. In the Portland series Richardson guarded Andrew Miller for one game – Miller went off for 31, Richardson choked the offense with just 14 on 4-of-12 shooting, and the Suns lost.
Richardson then moved off the ball defensively and the Suns dominated the series from that point on. Richardson scored 61 total points in Games 2 and 3.
Suns vs. Lakers Game 1 Free NBA Prediction
The Lakers rarely show up lame in the first games of playoff series, but 6.5 is a heavy number to cover against a team as deep and rested as the Suns are. If LA can succeed in slowing down the pace and making the Suns match up against the front line (Gasol, Odom, Bynum), then they should be able to take care of business.
But Phoenix’s depth is capable of destroying that business model. Bettors should take a hard look at the 210.5 O/U. Like Phoenix, Oklahoma City loves to run the court, and none of the 6 games in the LA-OKC series came close to 210 as the Lakers controlled the pace of the game.
Play here is the UNDER.
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Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling and travel expert from Massachusetts.
7 replies on “Game 1: Suns vs. Lakers NBA Pick | Preview”
and u call urself an expert the lakers have no depth on the bench the suns take it in 6 the lakers starters have played twice as much as much as phoenix has and nash is going to tare up fisher he cannot challange him u double nash its game over with his vision to find the open guy and with bynum most likely taking an early exit in this series and lopez coming back that puts stoudamireon gasol and gasols a good player but not against stoudamire the lakers only have 2 good scorers which are kobe and gasol odoms to busy with the kardashians and fishers check cashed in last year this is not the same lakers tteam the lakers have no way to beat the suns in this series last sseason the lakers had a great bench plus fisher kobe gasol and odom could score when players wont showing up this season the suns have nash staudamire dudley dragic richardson hill too much depth sorry LA its time to put up or shut up i dont c la winning suns take game 1 this goes 6
It’s all a question of match-ups. One thing’s certain: this ain’t the Suns team of the regular season, so anything may happen.
wow suns fans!! hope game 1 shut your opinions up! haha
because the suns choked just like the cavs:D
I was watching the Lakers and oh my god their team work is so good. They look so natural and so well put together. Their offense and defense is a well created machine. I think Lakers might actually sweep the Suns and the Celtics in the finals! Then again this is just my opinion.
But from what I saw from Game 1, the Suns don’t have any answer for the Lakers and I don’t think the tired Celtics have the energy to put up a fight against LA
Ben….lakers looked pretty good eh?
damn straight! hey patrick that laker offense is called
the TRIANGLE. haha
lakers over cetics in the finals. the suns are gonna get
turned to ash.
Lakers win game 2 hell yes.
oh patrick by the way its call the triangle offense.
Kobe 12 assist.
Suns cant stop the unstoppable.