5 Burning Questions – Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers

The NBA’s Western Conference will be decided in an NBA playoff betting showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns beginning on Monday night at the Staples Center. Here at BetOnline, we’re asking the five most important questions that will help determine the outcome of this series!

NBA Playoff Odds
Phoenix Suns +250
Los Angeles Lakers -350

1. Whose tempo will this series be played at? If the answer isn’t Phoenix’s, the Suns are done. Los Angeles can probably run at the Suns’ tempo if it needs to, but it probably would rather not, especially if C Andrew Bynum’s knee is really acting up. There isn’t a point guard in the NBA that’s better at forcing the pace of a game than G Steve Nash is, and he’ll probably make sure that the Suns are going to continue running at full speed for the duration of this series.
2. Who you got – Amare Stoudemire or Pau Gasol? This could decide this entire series. Stoudemire has looked absolutely unstoppable at times in these playoffs even though he hasn’t had a truly dominating performance in any individual game. The pending potential free agent has averaged 20.5 points and 7.0 boards per game in the playoffs. However, Gasol’s numbers are even better, as he has put together 20.2 points and 13.1 rebounds per game in the postseason.
3. Is Kobe going to keep it up? G Kobe Bryant has scored at least 30 points in five straight games in NBA playoff betting action. He has been sitting out of practice trying to nurse a sore knee, but there’s no way that he is going to miss any time in this series. The only question that he is going to face is whether or not he can keep up with the pace or not, but Kobe is still at a point in his career that he shouldn’t have an issue.
4. Does LA have enough depth in this series? For HC Phil Jackson, this is probably the biggest concern. When Phoenix is running around, HC Alvin Gentry has no fear to use as many as ten players. Jackson only really legitimately has eight at his disposal, which is going to have to change. Can guys like F Adam Morrison and F Luke Walton step up? If so, LA will be fine. If not, the Suns’ bench could be the deciding factor in who goes to the NBA Finals.
5. Bottom Line: Who will win this playoff series? Los Angeles is clearly the choice of the oddsmakers in this series, and as six-point favorites in Game 1, it seems apparent that the Suns are going to be underdogs in just about every game in this best-of-seven set as well. That depth is really concerning to us though, and if by chance, Bryant isn’t really on his game and Bynum’s injury is a lot more concerning than any of us know, Phoenix has a real chance. Take the Suns to capture this NBA playoff betting series in six games.

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