NBA Playoff Betting Preview: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns Game 6

Needless to say, it’s most certainly Kobe Time right now for the Lakers. Los Angeles jumped out to a lead that stretched to as many as 18 points on Thursday night, and it felt like just about every time that the Suns cut into the deficit, G Kobe Bryant was the man nailing the shot that helped bring the Staples Center faithful back into the game to squash the rally. At 33.0 points per game in the Western Conference Finals, there is no doubt that Bryant is the MVP of the series even if the Lakers happen to lose it. F Pau Gasol has been a rock as well, as demonstrated by the fact that he very quietly scored 21 points to go with nine boards on Thursday. Game 5 was also a special one for G Derek Fisher, who scored 22.

Six different Suns scored in double figures in Game 5, but it just wasn’t enough offense for HC Alvin Gentry’s team. Phoenix came out of the blocks with a very flat 45 point first half that it didn’t really totally recover from until the dying seconds of the game. Save Game 3 when F Amare Stoudemire went off for 42 points, he really hasn’t had that game that just makes you go, “Wow!” He scored just 19 points and pulled in four boards in defeat on Thursday. G Steve Nash is coming off the best game in his postseason, scoring 29 points and handing out 11 helpers. It appears as though the bench has started to step up again as well for the Suns. That unit had 29 points scored in the second half of Game 5, led by C Channing Frye’s 14. Frye only shot 1/20 in the first three games in this series, but since then, he has shot a respectable percentage and put together two great games.

We’re going to recommend taking a stab on the ‘over’ tonight as well, as the Suns are inevitably going to do everything that they can to push the pace of this game as quick as possible. Pardon the pun, but this is the night that the Suns go out in the blaze of glory. Gentry certainly won’t leave any guns in his bullet, but in the end, it’s going to be all about Kobe, as he sets up the NBA’s dream matchup of the Lakers and Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Selection: Los Angeles Lakers +1.5 at Bookmaker Sportsbook