NBA

Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers Game 6 odds, picks and prediction

USA Today Sportsbookwire

The 7-seed Los Angeles Lakers (2-3) look to stave off elimination by the 2-seed Phoenix Suns (3-2) in Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series at Staples Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Suns-Lakers Game 6 odds and lines, with NBA picks and predictions.

An Anthony Davis-less Lakers were embarrassed at Phoenix in a 115-85 Game 5 loss as this contest was all but over after the first half with the Suns leading 66-36 at the break.

Phoenix's Devin Booker lit up L.A. for 30 points on 13-for-23 shooting, and the Lakers' starting 5 only scored 35 points with LeBron James accounting for 24 of them. SG Dennis Schröder went scoreless on 0-for-9 shooting.

Suns at Lakers: Odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports' betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:48 a.m. ET.

Money line : Suns +110 (bet $100 to win $110) | Lakers -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
Against the spread/ATS : Suns +2 (-110) | Lakers -2 (-110)
Over/Under : 207.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Suns at Lakers: Key injuries

Suns

PG Chris Paul (shoulder) probable

Lakers

PF Anthony Davis (groin) questionable
SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (knee) questionable

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Suns at Lakers: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Lakers 104, Suns 99

Money line (ML)

Slight "LEAN" to the LAKERS (-135) for a quarter unit if at all. I cannot see a LeBron James-led team being eliminated at home in the first round of a title defense.

L.A. is leading this series in offensive rebounding and FT/FGA rates so there's a path to the Lakers grinding this game out with or without Davis at 100%.

However, AD's health status is the biggest factor in Suns-Lakers and it's difficult to project his influence on Game 6.

Either end of the spectrum is plausible; Davis could come out and dominate a Suns team he's had several good performances against this season or he could be injured past the point of return, so to speak.

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Against the spread (ATS)

PASS on the Lakers -2 (-110) because I can only slightly "lean" to L.A. extending this series to Game 7, and if I'm going to bet a side in this game I'll stick with the money line.

Over/Under (O/U)

BET the UNDER 207.5 (-110) for 1 unit as the best play in the Suns-Lakers because both these teams played at a below-average pace during the regular season and their playoff series is the fourth-slowest paced in the postseason.

Furthermore, the "sharp" side of the market is backing the Under whereas the "average Joe" is siding with the Over.

According to Pregame.com, more money is on the Under but more bets have been placed on the Over and typically it's wiser in sports betting to follow the money rather than the crowd.

The Under is 4-0-1 through the first five games of this series and the Suns-Lakers have a combined 32-50 O/U record when playing teams with a winning record.

Both teams are paced by their eventual Hall of Fame leaders who are past their athletic primes and will be looking to out-strategize their opponents most likely.

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