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After scorching the LA Lakers in game five on Wednesday night, the Phoenix Suns are on the verge of making it to the Western Conference semifinals.
Going into the locker room at half-time, the Suns were up by 30 points and never looked back as they blew out the reigning champions.
The Phoenix Suns are no longer afraid of the LA Lakers. Without Anthony Davis, the Lakers were weak and their other scoring options failed to step up.
This has given the Suns the impetus and they will be looking to put this series to bed early in game six.
Match Details
Fixture - Phoenix Suns vs LA Lakers | Game 6, 2020-21 NBA Playoffs.
Date & Time - Thursday, June 3; 10:30 PM ET (Friday, June 4th; 8:00 AM IST).
Venue - Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Phoenix Suns Preview
The Phoenix Suns have been excellent in their last two games against the LA Lakers and have re-taken the initiative in this series.
Devin Booker went into takeover mode in game five, which was expected of the young star after struggling in the previous two fixtures.
If Chris Paul continues to be thwarted by his shoulder injury, Booker's performance will be essential to the Suns' success.
After their hot start to the game on Wednesday, Monty Williams was able to afford some rest to his star players.
Chris Paul, on the other hand, was forced out of the game having aggravated his injury, though Williams did say he seemed fine in his post-game comments.
Cameron Payne came off the Phoenix Suns bench in his place and was electric once again, shooting 7-11 from the field and grabbing four rebounds in just 19 minutes.
Key Player - Devin Booker
Devin Booker is the Phoenix Suns' star man and could be the deciding factor in this series.
Matching up against Markieff Morris early in game five, Booker eased past the LA Lakers forward and racked up 22 points in the first half. He finished the game with 30 points, the third time he had done so in this series.
However, his effectiveness in this series has been limited by the LA Lakers' defensive attributes. Booker has shot the three-ball poorly, but is making 92% of his free-throws.
Should the Phoenix Suns progress, they will face either the Denver Nuggets or Portland Trail Blazers, against whom he may have more freedom on offense.
LA Lakers Preview
Wednesday night was the worst LA Lakers performance of the series with the Phoenix Suns and arguably one of their worst of the entire season.
They shot at under 35% from the field and from downtown and turned the ball over a staggering 16 times, compared to the Suns' four.
Their starting backcourt, Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, scored zero points and had only three assists between them from 41 minutes played. Caldwell-Pope left the game early with a knee contusion and is currently a doubt to play in game six.
The only LA Lakers player that left with any modicum of respect from his performance was LeBron James, who finished on 24 points on 9-19 shooting from the field.
Frank Vogel will have to make some serious adjustments for this must-win matchup, particularly if Anthony Davis is missing again.
Key Player - LeBron James
LeBron James did his best in game five but it ultimately wasn't enough, particularly if he is still playing through pain in his ankle.
The 36-year-old went to the locker room with five minutes left on the clock to get early treatment ahead of Friday's matchup.
There was no need for the forward to sit on the bench as the LA Lakers had already been blown out by that point and Vogel was giving minutes throughout his rotation.
If the LA Lakers are going to avoid exiting in the first round of the playoffs, LeBron James is going to have to play out of his skin. His supporting cast has not shown up in the last two fixtures which has left James to carry the team himself.
Wednesday's game was the first time he had lost twice in a row in a first-round series in his career and he will not want to exit the playoffs at this stage for the first time ever.
Predicted Starting 5's
Phoenix Suns
Point Guard - Chris Paul | Shooting Guard - Devin Booker | Small Forward - Mikal Bridges | Power Forward - Jae Crowder | Center - DeAndre Ayton
LA Lakers
Point Guard - Dennis Schroder | Shooting Guard - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | Small Forward - LeBron James | Power Forward - Markieff Morris | Center - Andre Drummond
Suns vs Lakers Match Prediction
Game six is extremely hard to call and could come down to the fitness of three key stars - LeBron, CP3 and Anthony Davis.
Should Davis not be available again, the LA Lakers could be looking at a first-round exit. They have fewer scorers than the Phoenix Suns and lack confidence.
Even if Chris Paul is out, Cameron Payne can fill in for the Phoenix Suns, having been in electric form in the series so far.
LeBron James will do everything in his power to keep the LA Lakers hopes alive, but it may not be enough. This should be another Suns win.
Where to watch the Suns vs Lakers matchup
Game six will be broadcast on Bally Sports Arizona and Spectrum Sportsnet, as well as nationally on TNT. It can also be streamed live on NBA League Pass.
Guess the Lakers players!
