The Phoenix Suns (1-0) visit the Los Angeles Lakers (1-0) on NBA Friday, tipping off at 10 p.m. ET from Los Angeles, California. The game is airing live on ESPN and streaming on ESPN+, YouTube TV and other streaming apps.
The Lakers are consensus 1.5-point favorites over the Suns on the spread (Lakers -1.5), with the over/under currently at 227.5 points. The Lakers are -121 favorites on the moneyline to win outright, while the Suns are +101 to pull off the slight upset.
Let's dive into my Suns vs. Lakers predictions and NBA picks for Friday, October 25.
Suns vs. Lakers Odds
| Suns Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -108 | 227.5 -110o / -110u | +102 |
| Lakers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -112 | 227.5 -110o / -110u | -122 |
- Suns vs. Lakers spread: Lakers -1.5
- Suns vs. Lakers over/under: 227.5 points
- Suns vs. Lakers moneyline: Lakers -121, Suns +101
- Suns vs. Lakers best bet: Suns to beat the Lakers
Suns vs. Lakers Starting Lineups
Suns Starters
- PG Tyus Jones
- SG Devin Booker
- SF Bradley Beal
- PF Kevin Durant
- C Jusuf Nurkić
Lakers Starters
- PG D'Angelo Russell
- SG Austin Reaves
- SF Rui Hachimura
- PF LeBron James
- C Anthony Davis
Suns vs. Lakers Picks and Predictions
Prediction
My pick: Suns moneyline (+105)
After coming off of an overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers in the brand new Intuit Dome, the Phoenix Suns are prepared to finish their time in L.A. on Friday going up against the Los Angeles Lakers, where the perimeter shooting of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal will be able to overcome LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
For all of your NBA bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NBA odds page.
Spread
The spread for this matchup shows it's expected to be a back-and-forth game that has the potential to go down to a final possession for the victory. The Lakers are favorited, as they are the home team, and are coming off a their season opener victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Moneyline
Though the Lakers are the home team and are coming off an impressive victory on Tuesday night, the Suns' perimeter shooting will be a problem for them. Against the Clippers, the team made 15 threes and attempted 38, and the Lakers only made 5 3s and attempted 30.
The outside shooting will be a problem for the Lakers, which makes the Suns more favorable in this matchup.
Over/Under
The over/under on this game is high, and it makes sense. Durant, Booker, and Beal are each offensive juggernauts on each level, and are going up against the dominant duo of James and Davis, who are going into their sixth season as teammates together.
This should be an entertaining matchup, and if the odds are right, also a game that goes down to the wire.
My pick: Suns moneyline (+105)
Betting Trends to Know
- 60% of bets and 55% of the money are on the Suns to cover the spread.
- 80% of bets and 50% of the money on the moneyline are on the Lakers to win outright.
- 93% of bets and 90% of the money are on the over.
Betting trends via our live, updating NBA public betting & money percentages page.
How to Watch, Start Time, Channel, Streaming
| Location: | Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California |
| Date: | Friday, October 25 |
| Kickoff Time: | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN / ESPN+, YouTube TV |
Lakers vs. Suns is scheduled for a 10 p.m. ET start time, live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on Friday. The game is live on ESPN and is streaming on ESPN+ and YouTube TV.
Suns vs. Lakers NBA Preview
Phoenix Suns: Year Two for All-Star Trio
After finishing last season with a record of 49-33, which placed them sixth in the conference, the Suns had a tough outing in the postseason, as they were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. There were a bunch of factors that lead to the Suns not having the kind of season they had hoped for. Bradley Beal was dealing with injuries throughout the season, playing in 53 games and didn't have much of a chance to completely be in sync with his teammates.
Another reason is the team didn't have a true point guard to organize the offense and be a floor general, which they addressed in the offseason by signing Tyus Jones, who had 11 points and 8 assists in his first game with the Suns. With Jones at point guard, he'll be able to keep the offense flowing with his playmaking skills and efficient shooting.
The Suns also made a change at head coach by replacing Frank Vogel with Mike Budenholzer. The two-time Coach of the Year, that also was the head coach when the Milwaukee Bucks won the title in 2021, now has the role of leading this Suns team and trying to contend with the other powerhouses in the conference. But if the Suns even make it out the first round and not get swept again, that's an improvement. So far, Budenholzer is off to a good start, as the team managed to win the first game.
Health is a factor for every team, but if the Suns star cast can remain healthy throughout the season, it will help their chances.
Los Angeles Lakers: Can JJ Redick Improve the Team Shooting?
In his head coaching debut, JJ Redick was able to get his first victory by beating the Timberwolves 110-103. Anthony Davis put up a monster performance of 36 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks. LeBron James had a quieter game, only scoring 16 points, but it was a total team effort for the Lakers in their season opener at home.
The Lakers start the season off the strong, but the outside shooting is still a cause for concern. Redick has discussed this issue, and has stated he wants the team to be better in that department. That's part of the reason they drafted Dalton Knecht in the first round, as he brings in additional shooting. During a preseason matchup against the Suns, Knecht scored 35 points and knocked down 8 3s. If he can have games where he has even half of that kind of production, that'll be huge.
The team only made five 3s in their first game, and still won. Some nights, it won't matter how many 3s they make since James and Davis are so dominant and can lead the Lakers to victory without having the hot hand from deep, but that trend won't be sustainable against teams that can get hot, especially during the playoffs. The Suns aren't the greatest shooting team, but each of their star players can get extremely hot from distance.
We'll have to see what Redick has up his sleeve.
My pick: Suns moneyline (+105)
