Friday night in the NBA we will see the Phoenix Suns travel to the Los Angeles to take on the Los Angeles Lakers. The game is scheduled for a 10:30 pm tipoff and will be televised live on ESPN. Currently the Lakers are favored by 8.5 points with the total being set at 185.5 for this game. Pacific Division rivals renew hostilities at Staples Center on Friday when the Los Angeles Lakers open up a home-and-home series with the Phoenix Suns.
Free Analysis: After losing three games in as many nights, the Phoenix Suns don’t get much of a break when they play at the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night in the first of a home-and-home between the clubs, who will also play Sunday in Phoenix. The Phoenix suns have really struggled this year, thanks mainly to an offense that has been sputtering. Last year the Suns averaged 105 ppg, but they come into this game putting up just 93.6 ppg overall and 92.4 ppg on the road. That is a huge drop in offensive productivity. Marcin Gortat leads the team with 15.2 ppg, while placing 2nd on the team in shooting (55.1%) and leading the team in rebounding (10.1 rpg). Steve Nash is second on the team in scoring (14.6 ppg), while Jared Dudley rounds out the DD scorers on this team with 11.3 ppg. Steve Nash also checks in at 1st in the league in shooting (55.9%) and 1st in the leage in assists (10.7 apg). He can't do it all and their is just not enough talent behind him for them to win consistently. Fresh off a 3-3 Grammy Road Trip the Lakers returned to SoCal on Tuesday and topped the Atlanta Hawks, 86-78. Pau Gasol led LA with 20 points and 13 rebounds in that one, doubling up the struggling Kobe Bryant, in the win. Bryant, averaging an NBA-best 28.7 points per game, had a season-low 10 points on 5-of-18 shooting without visiting the foul line for the Lakers, who have beaten the Hawks six straight times at home and won 19 of the last 22 meetings between the teams in LA. Kobe those has gotten off to slow starts of late as he is shooting just 21.7 percent (5 of 23) in the first half of his last three games. Pau Gasol is second on the team in both scoring (16.8 ppg) and rebounding (10.6 rpg), but has said he hears and reads rumors that he could be traded every day. The latest one has him going to Minnesota for rookie forward Derrick Williams and draft picks. “It's out of my hands,” Gasol said. “It is what it is. I'd like to be here. I'd like to make this team better and get back to a championship level, but it's not up to me. Andrew Bynum (16.3 ppg) rounds out the DD scorers for the Lakers, while also leading them in rebounding (12.6 rpg). Overall te Lakers have struggled on offense themselves as they have averaged just 92.5 ppg on the year, which is 23rd in the league, compared to ranking 9th in scoring last year at 100.6 ppg. Defensively the have been very good, allowing just 90.4 ppg (4th), while ranking 1st in defensive FG% (41.7%). The Suns have lost six of seven to the Lakers at Staples Center, including a 99-83 setback back on Jan. 10 when Bryant went off for a season-high 48 points.
Free Pick: Gonna look to the Under in this one. Here's a stat you don't see often... Phoenix has gone Under the total in 21 of their 30 games this year, including going under in 13 of their 17 road games this year. Most of that is because Phoenix is averaging about 10 ppg less than last year, but also because they have been playing better defense this year as well as they come in allowing just 96.9 ppg overall and 97.4 ppg on the road. Phoenix has really struggled to score on the road as they have averaged just 92.4 ppg away from and tonight they get to face a Lakers squad that has played really good defense at home this year. The Lakers overall have allowed just 90.6 ppg on 41.7% shooting, while at home they have allowed just 84.7 ppg on 39.5% shooting. I expect the mid 80's at best from Phoenix in this one. The Lakers could also be in the 80's as they have averaged just 88.6 ppg in their last 5 games, but I will call for them to put up something in the mid 90's vs this average Phoenix defense. Just not enough offense in this one to think that it can hit the mid 180's.
Free Picks: Suns at Lakers Betting
http://PregameVideos.com - Bad scheduling spot for Suns and Are the Lakers over valued plus other factors NBA bettors need to know about Suns at Lakers (Friday, February 17, 2012) from Pregame.com - Including predictions from Scott Spreitzer and analysis from host Marco D'Angelo.