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The Phoenix Suns will host the LA Lakers in an enticing first-round bout in the 2021 NBA playoffs at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix on Sunday.
It was a dramatic end to the regular season for the LA Lakers, who dug deep to go five games unbeaten ahead of the postseason. The LA Lakers had to fight their way into the playoffs, beating the Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament to take the 7th seed.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns played their best basketball in years, finishing their regular-season campaign only one game behind the top-seeded Utah Jazz. The battle between the division rivals in the regular season ended 2-1 in favor of the Suns.
Match Details
Fixture - LA Lakers vs Phoenix Suns | Game 1, 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Date & Time - Sunday, May 23rd, 2021; 3:30 PM ET (Monday, 1:00 AM IST).
Venue - Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, Arizona.
LA Lakers Preview
The injury bug has plagued the LA Lakers this season. Fortunately for the Lakers, Anthony Davis and LeBron James returned in time to help the defending champions team feature in another postseason.
Although one could argue that the LA Lakers had fairly easy fixtures towards the end of the season, their win streak started with a 123-110 thrashing of the Phoenix Suns. Davis was sensational in that fixture, leading the team with 42 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
Key Player - LeBron James
LeBron James has once again shown why he is king after he made the go-ahead 3-point shot over Curry to secure the LA Lakers the 7th seed in the West.
Although he was still in recovery and played for limited minutes, he made the buzzer-beater for the LA Lakers shortly after he was poked in the eye by Draymond Green.
LeBron James now has a shot at winning his fifth ring after finishing the regular season with an average of 25 points, 7.8 assists and 7.7 rebounds despite playing only 45 games.
LA Lakers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Dennis Schroder l Shooting Guard - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope l Small Forward - LeBron James l Power Forward - Anthony Davis l Center - Andre Drummond.
Phoenix Suns Preview
The Phoenix Suns played their hearts out in every matchup until the final day of the regular season. The Monty Williams-led team will make their first playoff appearance in 11 years after losing the Western Conference Finals to the LA Lakers in 2010.
Although the Phoenix Suns field a relatively young team, the introduction of veteran Chris Paul in their ranks has boosted the team's performance in both offense and defense. They finished the regular season fifth in offensive rating (117.2) and ninth in defensive rating (111.3).
DeAndre Ayton has been sensational for the Phoenix Suns but got a knock towards the end of the season. However, Williams is confident that the center should be on track to feature against the defending champions.
Key Player - Chris Paul
Chris Paul was traded to the Phoenix Suns for a singular reason, to help the Suns be in Championship contention.
It has been a spectacular season for the guard, who has used his high basketball IQ to lead the Suns to a 51-21 mark in the regular season.
Although he is not the most explosive player in the league, Chris Paul leads the competition in free throw percentage this season (.934). His tally of 16.4 points, 1.4 steals and 8.9 assists per game have been key to the Phoenix Suns' success this campaign.
Phoenix Suns Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Chris Paul l Shooting Guard - Devin Booker l Small Forward - Mikal Bridges l Power Forward - Jae Crowder l Center - Dario Saric.
Lakers vs Suns Prediction
A healthy LA Lakers could be the team to beat in the playoffs this year. However, their offense is still not top tier, as AD and James are still not a hundred percent.
The home-court advantage will likely favor the Phoenix Suns in Game 1, something the LA Lakers should be mindful of. Although it could be a closely contested tie, the Suns are more likely to secure a win in Game 1.
Where to watch the Lakers vs Suns Game 1?
The LA Lakers vs Phoenix Suns Game 1 in the 2021 NBA playoffs will be televised nationally on ESPN and can be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
