NBA Western Conference Finals Betting Preview: Suns Simply Must Win

No team in the Western Conference played better in the second half of the season than the Phoenix Suns. Despite that success and a surprisingly easy series win over San Antonio, the Suns are in danger of their season becoming past tense.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the two time defending Western Conference champions and after the first two games of the conference finals, it does not appear that they are ready to give that crown up. L.A. won the first two games with relative ease, and now heads to Phoenix with their hands wrapped firmly around the necks of the Suns.

The Lakers have proven to be too big for the Suns. Phoenix has had no answer to Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, and even normally reliable point guard Steve Nash has looked uneasy. If the Suns are going to get back in the series, they will need both Nash and Amare Stoudemire to play at a much higher level.

Los Angeles watched on Saturday night how Boston went up three to zero in the Eastern Conference Finals. If there is one thing that will benefit both Boston and Los Angeles, it is rest. The Lakers can keep pace with Boston if they win tonight.

L.A. is still led by Kobe Bryant, and he has looked much more like the Bryant of old in the past couple of weeks. With the finish line in sight, it is obvious to observers that the Lakers have stepped up both their intensity and focus since being pushed by Oklahoma City in the first round.

A rematch with the Celtics may be the last bit of redemption for Bryant. First, he was intent on returning the favor to Phoenix, a team that had beaten the Lakers the last two times they met in the playoffs. The only other loss that haunts Bryant's brilliant career is the one at the hands of the Celtics in the finals two seasons ago.

May 23, 2010
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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