The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers will meet in what should be a thrilling NBA In-Season Tournament matchup on Tuesday, Dec. 5 (10 p.m. ET).
LeBron James and the Lakers earned the West’s No. 1 seed after going 4-0 in group play, while Kevin Durant‘s Suns clinched the wild card for notching a 3-1 record and +34 point differential.
Here are the latest NBA odds and best bets for Suns vs Lakers.
Suns vs Lakers NBA In-Season Tournament Odds
NBA odds used for these best bets are current as of Monday, Dec. 4, at 3 p.m. ET and were found at bet365 Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Lakers (-125) • Suns (+105)
- Spread: Lakers -1.5 (-110) • Suns +1.5 (-110)
- Total Points: Over 228 (-110) • Under 228 (-110)
Suns vs Lakers In-Season Tournament Prediction
Suns 116, Lakers 111
The Suns are winless in two tries against the Lakers this season, but I’m inclined to look past that ahead of their matchups in the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals. This may be the No. 1 vs the No. 4, but it’s not like Phoenix’s status as a wild card makes them an instant underdog.
Each game was decided by five points or less, and the Suns didn’t have Devin Booker available for either contest. Phoenix, with just Durant, is a vastly different team than when they’re both available, so it’s no surprise that the Suns are 9-2 in games with Booker this year.
Los Angeles has also struggled in games against top-tier competition. The Lakers are 12-9 on the season, but only five of those wins have come against teams that currently have a winning record. Of their nine losses, just one has come to a team under .500 on the year.
Assuming Durant and Booker are both good to go on Tuesday night, we could be in for an upset.
Suns vs Lakers In-Season Tournament Bets
Suns +1.5 (-110)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
After going 4-6 to begin the year, Phoenix has won eight of its last 10. By no means is the Suns’ 12-8 record indicative of their current play — and Los Angeles hasn’t seen them since they turned the corner.
It’s never easy betting against LeBron — especially in a playoff-like atmosphere — but his Lakers look outmatched coming into their third meeting with Phoenix.
Back the Suns to cover as 1.5-point underdogs with your NBA bet of the day.
Under 228 (-110)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
This total opened at around 223.5 points but has since ballooned to 228, giving Under bettors a more significant cushion. The Lakers also aren’t a great offensive team — despite playing at the NBA’s seventh-fastest pace, Los Angeles ranks 20th in scoring.
On the other hand, the Suns play the league’s fourth-slowest pace and have allowed just 109.1 points per game over their last seven.
Suns vs Lakers In-Season Tournament Prop Bet
Kevin Durant: Over 28.5 Points (-125)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
If you thought Durant’s scoring totals would be underwhelming when he plays with Booker, think again. In nine appearances together, Durant is averaging 30.4 points on .544/.581/.869 shooting splits.
- See where the Suns and Lakers stand in the 2024 NBA Finals odds.
And while this may not be the playoffs, this is still an elimination game, and I’m expecting each team’s starters to spend some additional time on the floor as a result. A larger workload should translate to more scoring opportunities for Durant, who has hit this Over in 11 of his first 18 games.
