It’s LeBron James going up against his banana-boat mate, Chris Paul in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, as the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Phoenix Suns. The series starts this coming Sunday in Phoenix. Check out our preview of this game below.
The Lakers started slow in their play-in date against the Golden State Warriors at home last on Wednesday, but once LeBron James and Anthony Davis got going in the second half, the defending NBA champions did most things right on their way to a 103-100 win. James had a triple-double of 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, while AD scored 25 points with 12 rebounds. The Lakers have the muscle to bully the Suns inside. Their two ADs in Davis and Andre Drummond complement each other, though the latter has been wildly inconsistent since joining the Lakers. At the end of the day, it’s LeBron James who will be looked upon to deliver the most for Los Angeles. James got banged up in the Warriors game and has dealt with some bumps and bruises of late, but he should be 100% for Game 1 of the series against the Suns. The Lakers won the last meeting with Phoenix earlier this month at home, 123-110, with Davis unloading 42 points.
The Lakers are 4-2 against the spread in their last six games as the road team versus Phoenix.
The one clear advantage the Suns have against the Lakers heading into Game 1 is that they’re better rested than Los Angeles. Unlike the Lakers, the Suns didn’t have to go through a play-in tournament. The last time they played was back in Sunday, when they beat the San Antonio Spurs, 123-121, on the road. The Suns are 3-0 straight up in their last three games, going 1-1-1 against the spread in those contests. The Suns are hopeful that Deandre Ayton will be there for them on Sunday. The big man has not played in the last three Phoenix games due to a knee issue, but head coach Monty Williams has said he is expecting Ayton (and Cam Johnson) to be available. In three games against the Lakers in the regular season, Ayton averaged 16.3 points and 6.7 rebounds, while shooting a high 66.7 percent from the field. With Chris Paul running the show on offense and Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and of course, Devin Booker, the Suns are a huge threat to the Lakers, whom Phoenix defeated twice already this year.
The Suns are 3-1 against the spread in their last four home games.
