Suns vs. Lakers Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for December 19 (LA's Road Struggles Continue on Monday Night)

Suns vs. Lakers Game Info

• Date: Monday, December 19, 2022
• Time: 9:00 PM ET
• Venue: Footprint Center -- Phoenix, Arizona
• Coverage: NBA TV, BSAZ, and SportsNet LA

The 2022-23 NBA season continues on Monday with nine more games, including a battle between the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. The Lakers rank 12th in the Western Conference with a 13-16 record, while the Suns check in fourth with an 18-12 record. This matchup is full of stars.

The Lakers are coming off a 119-117 win over the Washington Wizards in which Thomas Bryant scored with only seconds left on the clock. Meanwhile, the Suns defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 118-114, on Saturday behind Devin Booker's big performance. Which team will earn a win tonight?

Suns vs. Lakers Odds & Spread

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: PHO: (-430) | LAL: (+340)
• Spread: PHO: -9.5 (-110) | LAL: +9.5 (-110)
• Total: 230.5 -- Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

The Suns enter this contest as clear home favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 9 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 230.5 points, which is above average compared to the rest of Monday's projected totals.

Suns vs. Lakers Betting Trends

• The Suns have put together a 16-13-0 record against the spread this season.
• The Lakers have covered the spread once this year when underdogs by 8.5 points or more (in three chances).
• Suns games have gone over the total 14 times out of 28 chances this season.
• Lakers games this year have hit the over on 15 of 28 set point totals (53.6%).
• Phoenix owns a better record against the spread in home games (10-6-0) than it does on the road (6-7-0).
• In 2022-23 against the spread, Los Angeles has a better winning percentage at home (.467, 7-7-1 record) than on the road (.385, 5-8-0).

Suns vs. Lakers Prediction & Pick

The Suns finally got the monkey off their back. After suffering back-to-back losses to the Pelicans earlier in the week, Phoenix earned a big win thanks to a 58-point outing from Booker. The 26-year-old is listed as questionable to suit up with groin soreness, though. That's worth keeping an eye on.

Each LA starter played in at least 30 minutes on Sunday night, so it'll be interesting to see if that makes a noticeable impact. The Lakers have allowed at least 116 points in seven straight road games and have not beaten the Suns since May of 2021. Monday lines up as a perfect spot to fade LA.

The Suns are also 13-3 straight up in their last 16 home games, so I trust them to get the job done.

Final Score Prediction: Suns: 122 | Lakers: 107

Suns vs. Lakers Best Bet

The Suns hold an advantage over the Lakers in a few key areas. Phoenix forces 16.0 turnovers per game (No. 7 in NBA), while LA only forces 13.3 turnovers (No. 27 in NBA). The Suns also shoot 37.3% from three-point range (No. 7 in NBA), which outshines the Lakers' mark of 32.5% (No. 29 in NBA).

The extra scoring chances that emerge from turnovers and long-range shots will prove to make a difference. Keep in mind Phoenix is 6-0 against the spread (ATS) in its last six games against a Pacific Division opponent and 7-1 ATS in its last eight games against LA. The choice is clear on Monday.

Bet: Phoenix Suns -9.5 (-110)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.