The Los Angeles Lakers host Phoenix on Friday, looking to build on their 17-12 mark against the 12-18 Suns in NBA action at STAPLES Center.

The Lakers bring a 17-12 record (13-16 ATS) to the battle against the 12-18 Suns, who are 12-18 ATS. OVER/UNDER bettors have seen Los Angeles go 11-18 so far and the Suns go 9-19-2.



View Phoenix vs LA Lakers Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
Sportsbooks had the Lakers installed as 8.5-point favorites in this particular matchup. The over-under number was listed by most sportsbooks at 185.5.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Power Rankings at Odds Shark have the No. 26-rated Suns taking on the No. 7-rated Lakers in this contest. Computer models indicate a possible 95-90 win for the Lakers on Friday.



How They Match Up:
Offensively, the game matches up Los Angeles's No. 23-ranked offense (92.5 PPG) against a Suns defense that ranks No. 21 at 96.9 PPG. The Lakers have averaged 44.7% from the field per game, more than the Suns have managed so far this season (44.6% on average).

In comparing how the teams stack up statistically, the Suns own the league's No. 18-rated mark, allowing 97.4 points per game when on the road. Los Angeles, on the other hand, rates No. 22 in home scoring.

Last time out for Phoenix, they were a 101-99 loser as they battled the Hawks at home. The Suns failed to cover in the match as a 1.5-point underdog, while 200 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors. Phoenix got 22 points and 16 assists from Steve Nash in a losing cause in a 101-99 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday at US Airways Center.

Los Angeles was an 86-78 Sportsbook in its last match at home against the Hawks. They covered the 5-point spread as favorites, while the total score of 164 sent UNDER bettors to the payout window. The Lakers got a 20-point performance from Pau Gasol, who added 13 rebounds as Los Angeles ran past Atlantan 86-78 on Tuesday at STAPLES Center.


Phoenix Suns Trends:
When playing on Friday are 3-7
Before playing LA Lakers are 6-4
After playing Atlanta are 6-4
After a loss are 5-5

Los Angeles Lakers Trends:
When playing on Friday are 8-2
Before playing Phoenix are 7-3
After playing Atlanta are 7-3
After a win are 5-5

A few Suns at Lakers trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Phoenix's last 15 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Phoenix's last 17 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
Phoenix is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games on the road
LA Lakers are 12-1 SU in their last 13 games at home
LA Lakers are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games when playing at home against Phoenix
LA Lakers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the LA Lakers last 8 games


Next up:
Phoenix home to LA Lakers, Sunday, February 19
LA Lakers at Phoenix, Sunday, February 19