NBA odds don’t favor the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday even though they have a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are three-point favorites at home in basketball odds on Sunday with a total of 219.
NBA odds rarely have the Lakers as underdogs but that is the case in Game 3. The Suns were excellent at home this season and even though they lost the first two games against the Lakers, many people believe they can bounce back with a win in Game 3. The Suns were in Game 2 but their defense again faltered and the Lakers ended up winning 124-112.
The Suns have to find a way to play at least a little bit of defense if they want to win on Sunday. Kobe Bryant destroyed them in Game 1 and it was Pau Gasol who ripped them to shreds in Game 2. Gasol had 29 points and made Amare Stoudemire look like the defensive stiff he is. Lamar Odom played well again and Ron Artest hit from the outside. The Suns were able to score points as Jason Richardson had 27 points but unless Phoenix can start playing defense this series is over. “Well, what can you say?” Suns Coach Alvin Gentry said. “We are just having a hard time…. We can’t slow them down. I thought we played well offensively. But every time we tried to make an adjustment to slow them down, they go somewhere else.” The Suns had five players in double figures and they still lost by 12 points.
The Lakers are 4-0 vs. the NBA odds in their last 4 Conference Finals games. The Lakers are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 playoff games as an underdog. The Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Sunday games. The Lakers are 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Phoenix. Phoenix does have some good home trends. They are 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 home games. The Suns are 20-6-1 ATS in their last 27 games as a favorite. The Suns are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 Sunday games.
The total in this series continues to rise and for good reason. The Over is 5-0-1 vs. the basketball odds in the Lakers last 6 overall. The Over is 4-1-1 in the Lakers last 6 road games. The Over is 5-1 in the Suns last 6 overall. The Over is 5-1 in the Suns last 6 home games. The Over is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings between the two teams.