Take #561 Suns over Lakers
(NBA) Phoenix vs. LA Lakers,
Point Spread: 1.50 | -105.00 Phoenix (Away)
Result: Loss
In his 21st season, LeBron James gets a new stage to operate on when the Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday in a quarterfinal game of the NBA in-season tournament. James helped the Lakers to a 4-0 record in group-stage play of the inaugural event and the top seed in the West heading into the win-and-advance quarterfinals. The winner of Tuesday's game will face the New Orleans Pelicans-Sacramento Kings winner in Thursday's semifinals at Las Vegas. James showed he is as feisty as ever during Los Angeles' 107-97 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday. He backed into the lane for a 360-degree reverse layup and also earned a technical foul for a verbal spat with Rockets coach Ime Udoka in the fourth quarter. Udoka was ejected from the game. The Suns have won eight of their 10 games since losing to the Lakers, including a seven-game winning streak that helped them to a 3-1 record in West Group A play. Phoenix enters the tournament quarterfinals off a 116-109 home victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, when Devin Booker tallied 34 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. In nine games since returning from an early-season calf injury, Booker has averaged 27.1 points and 7.9 assists. He sat out Friday against the visiting Denver Nuggets in the opener of a back-to-back set, and the Suns lost 119-111. The Suns still are waiting to see stars Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Booker on the court at the same time. Beal has played in just three games as he deals with a back injury, and he will remain sidelined on Tuesday. We like Phoenix to play quite well here, as they will get up for the Lakers, and the Suns have revenge with the Lakers winning the last four contests straight up.