NBA BASKETBALL BETTING PREVIEW - PHOENIX SUNS @ LA LAKERS

NBA Basketball

2013-02-12 - Phoenix Suns at LA Lakers

A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown

Phoenix Suns @ LA Lakers
United States: NBA Basketball
Tuesday 12 February 2013 - Tip Off 10:30pm
3:30am (British Time)

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Preview

It has been a season of problems for the LA Lakers (24-28) and every time they seem to take a step forward, they end up taking two steps back. The issues in the Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard relationship don't seem to be resolved and injuries to Howard and now Pau Gasol have not let the Lakers find any consistency.

After a long road trip because of the Grammy's being hosted in Los Angeles, the Lakers get a chance to return home and face the Phoenix Suns (17-35). The Suns were blown out by the Oklahoma City Thunder twice in the last few days and their roster is currently the focus of a lot of trade rumours.

Phoenix are already out of the running for a Play Off place in the Western Conference so are already looking for any trades that could give them a chance next season. Jared Dudley is coveted by the New York Knicks and there is a chance that something happens with this roster before the February 21st deadline.

The Suns have also struggled mightily on the road this season and have the worst road record in the NBA which doesn't bode well for them as they play their next 3 on their travels. Lindsey Hunter has asked for his players not to have 'pity parties' after just about beating a franchise low in their loss to the Thunder with a late bucket.

The Play Offs look a big ask for the LA Lakers as they do have 3.5 games to make up on Houston- they have won 5 of their last 6 at home and know they have to keep on winning at the Staples Center if they are to have any chance to close that gap.

Los Angeles lost to the Miami Heat on Sunday after being out-rebounded in that contest, but there was at least a little bit of pride in their performance. Kobe Bryant was happy that the team 'played hard', and he has quickly moved on from a pass first player and back to the scoring powerhouse that he is.

Bryant could have another big game as he has averaged almost 40 points per game in the last 4 home games against Phoenix.

Head to Head

The Lakers are 11-1 in the last 12 games in the series against Phoenix at the Staples Center.

Phoenix did beat the Lakers by 6 points at home last month, but they have lost 4 in a row at the Staples Center to the Lakers and gone 1-3 against the spread in those games.

Prediction

The Lakers should have beaten Phoenix comfortably when they played in Arizona last month, but an injury to Dwight Howard let them down in the fourth quarter.

I just don't know how focused the Suns are at the moment with an All-Star break around the corner and with a number of their players perhaps being coveted by other contending teams in the NBA.

The 9 points is a big number, but Phoenix will have to do a lot better than they did against Oklahoma City to cover and they haven't been performing well on the road. A motivated Lakers team that is returning home should be able to record a double-digit win.

The Pick :