The NBA is right around the corner, but until the tipoff of the regular season, we’ll get a sneak peek during the preseason. While this won’t be the full-fat version of the league, it will still give us our first look at what's change on these teams. With both sides getting new additions at center, this should be our first chance to see what it looks like.
Jalen Green Out
Mark Williams Out
LeBron James Out
Maxi Kleber Out
Marcus Smart Out
Well, the wait is finally over as we have NBA basketball back, even if it's just the preseason. However, getting our first look at these two should be entertaining. I doubt we’ll see too much of the veterans, but with some big changes on Phoenix this off-season, there should be plenty to watch.
The most interesting part of the matchup will be focusing on these centers. Phoenix added Khaman Maluach and Mark Williams, while LA added DeAndre Ayton. With both teams in desperate need at the 5 last year, these players could make a significant difference. Unfortunately, Mark Williams won’t be out there tonight, but we should see solid minutes from Maluach.
Expect plenty of offense from these teams, though. The Lakers are mainly focused on scoring in bunches. With Reaves, Luka, Ayton, and Hachimura out there and no LeBron tonight, they won’t be able to stop anyone. On the other hand, the Suns have built a more balanced defensive team. Although they might not be a top 10 defense, having two rim-protecting bigs and Dillon Brooks as the PF should help a lot. The Suns seem more well-rounded, with Booker directing the offense and a solid group of role players around him. This team is still young and has a lot to improve, but they’re in a good spot to start the season.
We'll see about LA. Ayton should make a big difference in the pick and roll with Luka, but defensively, he hasn’t been very active lately. During his time with Portland, he was ineffective as a rim protector or screen setter. Still, next to Luka during a contract year, Ayton has every reason to be focused this season. We should get a glimpse of what this duo can do tonight.
Overall, this matchup is a complete crapshoot. It just depends on which team wants to keep their players on the court longer. However, I think the Lakers will pull their guys first. The Suns, being the younger roster, probably need more time out there, especially with Booker. So that's why I’m going with the Phoenix moneyline, the under on the 219.5 points total, and the Suns' spread at +1.
Money line: PHO (-108) / LAL (-112)
Total Points: 219.5
Spread: + 1 PHO (-115) / -1 LAL (-105)
This will be our first look at Brooks as a Sun, but I expect him to score more tonight. He’s been a boom-or-bust scorer throughout his career, but 12 points falls within his range. He averaged 14 points per game last year with the Rockets and is likely to be the primary scoring option in the front court. His overall production will depend heavily on his playing time, but I anticipate him playing around 25 minutes tonight.
Ayton may have a checkered past in the league, but this season could be the most important for his career. With so much riding on the Lakers' success, I expect him to give maximum effort tonight in his first game as a Laker. As one of the only post options the Lakers have, he could get decent minutes and secure plenty of rebounds, especially with no LeBron to contend with tonight.
This just feels like a Kneckt game. After a lackluster rookie year, the Lakers need to see more from the sophomore. We’ve seen him do it back in college, but he’ll need his three-point shot to be on target to hit 15 tonight. The encouraging thing about this line is I expect Kneckt to play more during the game. So when Luka, Reaves, and Rui hit the bench, Kneckt should be the main source of offense for the Lakers.